


A Week is All I Need (To Make You Fall ((In Love)) With Me)

by RaeValentine



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Asexual Male Character, Atem is thoroughly amused at all times, Awkward Boners, Bisexual Male Character, Blindshipping, Dating, Demisexual Male Character, Drama, Dueling, First Time Blow Jobs, Gratuitous use of the word pharaoh, Group Chat Elements, Hand Jobs, Kaiba comes to like it, Kissing, Light Angst, Long-Haired Atem, M/M, Memes, Mild Language, Multi, Polyamory, Relationship Study, Rivals to Lovers, Sharing Clothes, Sharing a Bed, Some Humor, Texting, Weird Prophetic Dreams, Yugi sits in Kaiba's lap a lot, a plethora of metaphors, flareshipping, long chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-07-01
Packaged: 2018-09-23 05:41:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 105,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9643037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaeValentine/pseuds/RaeValentine
Summary: It's not every day you get to date both your boss and your long time boyfriend.Even if it is only for a week.Sometimes, that's all it takes, really.(Even if your boss has trouble with expressing his feelings, and your boyfriend has trouble with modern slang.)[A mostly humorous walk through Kaiba's various emotions, ending in a spetacular realization.]





	1. Zero Day: Change of Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I did promise I would write this, and Rae keeps their promises. Even if this turns out to be a huge mess.  
> This is a companion fic to [Duel Squad gc](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8730400/chapters/20014135). You'll want to read that first, at least to get some background on how this all came about.
> 
> This is (mostly) from Kaiba's perspective. I've never written something from his perspective before, and I wanted to try my hand at it. With that out of the way, please enjoy! <3

Seto Kaiba had put up with a lot of bullshit over the past five years. He'd been kidnapped, had his soul ripped from his body (twice!), and had to deal with more take over bids for his company than a twenty year old should ever have to deal with. Card games, kidnappings, and Ancient Egyptian hocus pocus. What a life.

The one thing he had always refused to deal with were things that had to do with his past. It was over, done with, no more needed to be said. Looking forward had always been his motto in life, and he wasn't about to start now. At least, he shouldn't have to. 

For three years, he'd been content to take a break from the dueling circuit for the most part. Sure, he no longer started his own tournaments; he no longer had the time, or patience to deal with everything that accompanied it. Instead, he chose to focus on the state of his company, and what new heights he could take it to. 

First thing's first. Kaiba Land. It had been finished a few years previously, of course. Mokuba was mostly in charge of it. He'd been thrilled at the prospect, so Kaiba let him have at it. It was doing very well for itself, too, and he was thinking about maybe expanding to an American branch soon. Or China, it was closer.

Second, Duel Academy. The specifics had already been ironed out, all he needed was a location to start building. That's what the main focus of the last Christmas function had been - to bring in a few well chosen representatives to showcase their dueling skills, and their willingness to teach the next generation of students. Tuition prices were discussed; he hated to admit it, but with Jounouchi's help, he'd been able to negotiate an affordable price range. That way, whoever wanted to learn how to duel like a pro, could, regardless of their financial background. He hated owing that deadbeat anything, but he had kept his word about behaving himself, another thing he'd rather die than admit to.

The third and final thing had been the launching of a new product that would revolutionize the dueling world. He'd had a hell of a time keeping _that_ one a secret. But once it was launched, the new eye wear was not only a hell of a fashion statement, but the new duel disk model would match. Aside from the enhanced holograph system, that was the most important aspect, obviously.

Even now, as he sat at his desk, content to answer emails and check the stock portfolio before doing anything else, his mind had been blissfully occupied.

At least until his phone began to chime with that familiar alert, breaking his hard won focus.

It wasn't a loud or obnoxious sound; in fact, it was rather soothing. The gentle patter of raindrops alerted him to new messages in that infernal group chat he couldn't leave. Those dweebs would just add him back anyway, might as well stay, if only out of spite. Also, riling up the mutt was a good way to let off steam.

The louder, more annoying tones were reserved for business contacts. It was a simple system, ranked by which he could choose to ignore and which needed immediate attention. The gentle patter of raindrops sounded again and again, nearly on an endless loop now. Sparing a glance behind him, the CEO noted the lack of cloud cover, the early morning Japanese sky a brilliant blue, the sunlight streaming down with nothing to obscure its scorching rays. 

More raindrops sounded, and he could ignore it no longer. With an impatient huff, he snagged his phone, opening the app and perusing the chat log. It had been awhile since he had bothered to answer, and now with a grimace, he realized they were all casually talking about the Pharaoh getting married to his pint-sized look-alike.

Well, he wasn't so pint-sized anymore. Yugi Mutou had grown quite a bit since their high school days. Older, taller, a bit more muscular and a lot less scrawny than he used to be. Still insufferable to deal with outside of a duel ring, though. 

A swift pang of intense jealousy swooped into his gut as he watched the chat come to life again. First they had to share their gross domesticity, now the others were joking about marriage. The Pharaoh was serious, it seemed. They really were disgustingly in love, and for some reason, it made Seto Kaiba _angry_. Maybe not full on "I lost my own tournament, so now the island is going to explode if you don't get lost" type of anger. He was much more mature than that, now. A little less vindictive, a little more calculating.

It was the simmering, quiet kind of anger that festered painfully more and more with each passing week, manifesting itself in too many cups of coffee and too many hours at the office. Mokuba had taken notice - the only one to say anything about it - and had asked him what was wrong several times within the past week. He brushed off his little brother's concerns, claiming work related stress, but the problem ran much deeper than that. 

Even when the others had previously joked about him not being interested in anyone romantically, it had caused the same kind of feeling to surface. Seto Kaiba was a master of his own emotions. This had to be dealt with, but he wasn't entirely sure how. He wasn't even sure if it was really jealousy towards his rival(s), or if it was something else altogether. Besides, he had to lie. He'd never hear the end of it if the chat found out he had eyes for both spiky-haired duelists.

Well, the Pharaoh's hair was much longer now, and he wore it slicked back into a ponytail more often than not. He only saw the man briefly in between duels these days; when he would come to pick Yugi up from work (that must have been hilarious, teaching a five thousand year old spirit to drive), or at the occasional group outings he couldn't seem to avoid with the rest of the Nerd Herd. 

Speak of the devil.. a new alert popped up after the others had logged off for the morning. It was a private message from none other than His Highness, the King of Games. Wondering what the hell he could possibly want to talk about outside of the chat, he watched with idle curiosity as the three ellipses bubble popped up again and again, indicating the Pharaoh was typing something.

He nearly dropped his phone once he read the heartfelt garbage, something twisting painfully inside his gut. 

_He wants me to be his best man,_ he thought incredulously. Scowling down at his phone, he shot off a reply dripping with disbelief. Seto Kaiba did not use emojis to express emotion through text. Rather, he had a certain tone that anyone who had known him long enough, as the pharaoh and the others had, that left no doubt as to how he felt. 

Even after all the bullshit and unnecessary idiocy he'd put them all through at one time or another, Kaiba of all people was the first person he thought to ask. He should feel flattered, and a part of him did; the part of him that held his ego, mostly. Another, much smaller part of him, squirmed in discomfort. It was too early in the work day for this. Yugi hadn't even arrived for work yet, though he was due for his shift in less than an hour.

He warred with himself for a couple of minutes instead of shooting off a rejection right away. 

Did he dare to finally open up about the feelings that had resurfaced ever since he had been forced to join the stupid group chat? If he were being honest with himself, he was _tired_. Tired of crushing his jealousy beneath the heel of his expensive shoes, tired of telling himself "you're just rivals, there's nothing else there, never has been, never will be". 

Seto Kaiba was tired of denying himself something that had the potential to be a good thing. It was unorthodox, and if it ever actually got out to the public that he was gay, it would lead to a massive scandal on a scale reminiscent of his stepfather's death. He was risking a lot more than just his reputation, all because he couldn't keep a handle on his stupid feelings.

The Pharaoh's last response stared back at him, and he could imagine the exact face he made while typing it.

KingofGames: In other words, yes. Even after everything, I would still ask you.

A calm benevolence, perhaps a slightly raised brow, the warm wine red gaze focused intently on the task before him. 

_Even after everything..._

He sent off another reply, just to be absolutely sure.

BlueEyesCEO: Deadbeat didn't put you up to this?

It was a logical thought. Jounouchi still liked fucking around with people, stupid memes aside. It was never malicious, but he had to be sure.

The response was nearly immediate.

KingofGames: No one has put me up to anything. I meant every word.

Taking a deep breath, Kaiba steeled himself for what he was about to do. He was about to make himself vulnerable to someone that wasn't his little brother. It wasn't a reassuring thought.

BlueEyesCEO: Then we need to have a talk.

There, he'd sent it. No going back now. Seto Kaiba did not hesitate, even when he was uncomfortable. 

Another immediate response.

KingofGames: I'm all ears, Kaiba. 

Kaiba knew he wasn't lying, knew he didn't make a habit of it. He was too honorable, exactly the type of man who would only do harm to protect someone he cared about. Sure, it wasn't like that in the beginning when they first met, but it had probably taken him a long time to get to that point again.

He didn't want to do this over text. There was a chance his words would be misconstrued, or he might come off harsher than he meant to. Kaiba would never be a warm and loving person - that opportunity had been stolen from him with the death of his parents - but he was a very prideful person. He wanted to do this right, or not at all.

BlueEyesCEO: I'm not doing this over text. Call me.

It wasn't a request. When Seto Kaiba wanted something done, he didn't ask nicely. Especially not to his rival/sort of crush.

There was no response, but a moment later, the [ringtone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZEnQogAd8U) he'd set for the Pharaoh began to play from the phone speakers. Rather than let it ring as he usually did, he picked up immediately, barely waiting for the first chords to fade.

"We need to talk, Pharaoh." His tone was clipped, no time for nonsense or beating around the bush.

"Yes, I gathered as much," the Pharaoh replied, tone dry, yet amused. If he wanted his rival to take him seriously, he would have to get to the point quickly.

He was not looking forward to this conversation. 

"Shut up for five minutes, I have something I need to get off my chest."

"Very well, Kaiba. As I said before, I am all ears." His tone was calm and sincere. It was soothing in a way, and Kaiba felt just the tiniest bit better about his decision.

"I think I have feelings for you."

The bland declaration was met with silence. Well, he had told the Egyptian to shut up and let him speak. He was still on the other end of the line, however - he heard the sharp intake of breath to prove it - so he continued without being prompted, rising from his chair to pace the room just for something to do.

"This isn't something that just _happened_. I started feeling more disgusted with your casual displays of affection than usual, and I realized I was _jealous_." The words poured out of him, like someone had finally opened the floodgates on his dam of emotions, and they were all breaking through at once. "Jealous of what you had with Yugi," he clarified. There was a hum of understanding from the other end of the line, so he continued, pacing the length of his office.

"You're the one person I don't absolutely abhor, the only one who understands what it's like to be at the top of the food chain. If it hadn't been for you.." Here, he paused, hesitating for the first time. He stopped pacing, facing the long back window of his office, staring down at the view of Domino City below. He started again, trying to marshal his raging thoughts into some kind of order. "If it hadn't been for you, Pharaoh, I wouldn't know what it was like to have someone stand by my side. Even after everything."

Tossing the Pharaoh's words back at him was the surest way he could think of to make the man understand what he was trying to convey. He waited, finally falling silent, for the inevitable response.

"Thank you, that was.." the warm baritone voice on the other end paused, a chuckle bubbling down the line with piercing clarity, and for a moment, Seto Kaiba experienced the pain of rejection. 

"Fine, I get it. You don't want--" he snarled, lashing out in hurt and anger, embarrassment tinting the arches of his cheeks pink.

The Pharaoh quickly cut him off.

"No, no. That isn't.. I'm very flattered, Kaiba."

He relaxed, if only minutely, picking apart the amused tone, but unable to come up with a reason for it. Kaiba remained silent, letting the Pharaoh continue.

"I'm just.. surprised, that is all. Please, forgive me, I did not mean to upset you."

There it was, that light, diplomatic tone again. Kaiba wished the Egyptian wasn't so forgiving sometimes, but if he hadn't been, he wouldn't be standing there on the phone with him, having this conversation.

"You didn't," he replied flatly, still waiting for rejection to rear its ugly head once more.

"Good, I am glad to hear it." Kaiba wished he would just get on with it. As if sensing his rival's impatience, the Pharaoh quickly continued. "I didn't really expect this from you, but now that it is out in the open, I suppose I should give you the courtesy of.. no, that's not right." He paused, and Kaiba could hear the staccato rhythm of fingers drumming on a glass surface. "What I mean to say is.. I think I may also have feelings for you."

 _What._ Rejection, he expected. Acceptance, and even reciprocation.. not in his wildest fantasies. 

"What," he repeated, this time aloud.

"You seem surprised," the Pharaoh chuckled, amusement once more lacing his tone.

"You have Yugi." _You don't need me_ was heavily implied, but he did not dare voice that aloud.

"I do. Remember the time, back in Duelist Kingdom, when you threatened to jump off the castle turret if I launched the finishing blow to your Life Points?"

How could he forget? It was the first time he had an inkling there might be Another Yugi, one much different than the tiny, meek Yugi he knew.

"What about it?" he asked, uncomfortable with the change in topic. He began to check on bits of code he was finalizing for the new game Yugi would be coming in later to test for him. Might as well multitask.

"I wanted to finish the duel, whatever the cost." That much was evident, though why he was bringing up the past now was lost on Kaiba, who would much rather forget. The Pharaoh continued speaking, almost in a rush before he could open his mouth to respond. "It was Yugi who realized what was happening, and stopped me from launching the final attack."

"I see." What else was there to say? Sure, this was the first he'd heard about it in nearly five years, but he didn't see the point in bringing it up now.

"Do you remember dueling Lumis and Umbra in Battle City?" When Kaiba did not respond, the Pharaoh patiently explained. "The masked individuals who threatened to send us to the Shadow Realm after kidnapping Mokuba."

"Oh, _them_." That triggered the memory; standing high atop a tall shopping building, the glass roof reflecting the summoned monsters, a rough breeze occasionally whipping the tails of his trench coat about his feet and ruffling the hair at the back of his neck. That had been mostly a pissed off blur, only focused on winning to ensure Mokuba's safety above all else. Teamwork had been the last thing on his mind. "What about them?" he asked after a moment of awkward silence.

"Because you finally decided to work with me instead of against me, we were able to win the duel and save your little brother. Staying out of the Shadow Realm was a hearty bonus." he added dryly. Kaiba could practically hear the satisfied smirk from the other end.

"What's your point? I'm pretty sure you're not bringing up the past just to reminisce."

"You're right. My point is that we make a good team, Kaiba." 

"As far as dueling goes, fine," he ground out, frustrated. That was basically his way of agreeing.

"Perhaps in other things as well.." the Pharaoh trailed off and did not elaborate. _Asshole._

The Pharaoh was going to make him say it, _damn_ him. There was still the matter of telling him about Yugi, too.

"About Yugi." He left it at that, figuring the other man would know what he meant.

"Ah, right. We'll have to tell him later." 

Kaiba frowned, fingers pausing in their dash across the keyboard, clenching them into fists in a fit of frustration. How was he going to explain this next bit without offending the most prideful individual in all of Domino (next to himself, of course)?

"I also have feelings for Yugi."

There, might as well get it out of the way. He could kick himself at how pathetic he sounded.

"For Yugi?" the Pharaoh repeated, as though unable to believe his ears.

"How many other pint-sized dweebs do we know with that ridiculous hairdo?"

Kaiba was starting to get his sense of humor back, that was good. It didn't appear often, but when it did, it was usually a sight to behold. It got another chuckle out of the Pharaoh, at least.

"I see your point. This must be very difficult for you to admit."

Perceptive. This phone call was dragging out the time until most of his employees were due to start their shifts, so he would have to cut this short. As it was, Mokuba was on the floor below, accompanied by Isono as he ran over the business aspects of Kaiba Land. A bit early in the morning for his teenage brother to be thinking about business, but at least he no longer slept in until noon.

"And?" he snarked, finishing up the bit of code he was working on and saving it to the hard drive. 

"Well, I think this warrants a conversation with him as well, don't you think?"

It was a fair point, but there wasn't time for that. Checking his planner, he remembered he had a meeting in ten minutes.

"Not right now it doesn't. Later tonight, maybe."

There was a pause as the Pharaoh set the phone down to presumably attend to a customer, judging by the tinkling of a bell on the other end of the line. He returned a minute later, apologizing for the delay.

"I'm sorry about that. Later tonight is fine with me. What time would be convenient for you?" he asked, sounding genuinely interested. Maybe he was.

"Any time after eight. Listen, is this going to be awkward for you? I don't have time to get into this right now." Now he was the one tapping his fingers on the desk, if a bit testily. His emotions were still warring with each other; half of him was trying to bury those feelings, while the other half was struggling to come to some sort of resolute acceptance.

"Hm, well. I have just come up with a proposal, if you are willing to hear me out."

A proposal? Now he was speaking Kaiba's language.

"Fine, spit it out."

He heard the sounds of a cash register being opened and closed, the murmured greetings and goodbyes of the customer from earlier, and finally the tinkling of the bell over the door signalling their departure.

"My apologies. My proposal is this. We have feelings that neither one of us expected to have for the other. I cannot speak for Yugi, but I think he may be willing to listen to us if we go about this the right way," he began, the warm tone of his voice changing into a more serious one. "I think that we should.. explore said feelings for each other. Which brings me to my proposal."

Huh, that was new. Seto Kaiba was never good with ~exploring his feelings~. Crushing them under foot, maybe. He was an expert at that by now.

"I'm listening," he replied, checking the time on his computer. Yugi was due to arrive any minute now.

"Should Yugi be amenable to the idea, we will take one week to explore any romantic feelings we each may have for the other. If, at the end of the week, things do not work out, then we return to things as they were before with no hard feelings."

That.. wasn't a terrible idea, actually. One week wasn't a lot of time. He could probably survive a week of lovey-dovey bullshit and still come out with his pride (and reputation) intact.

"All right. But _you'll_ be the one to tell Yugi."

The Pharaoh's rich laughter rang down the line, further relaxing the set of his shoulders. He really should get a massage.

"Very well, Kaiba. I'll let you get back to work now. Have a good day."

"Yeah, thanks," he replied brusquely before hanging up. 

With that chore out of the way, Kaiba steepled his fingers, resting his forehead against them with his elbows atop the desk. Taking a deep breath in, he let it out slowly, repeating the process for a few more minutes until his secretary announced that Yugi Mutou had finally arrived. 

He very politely informed her to send the little shit into his office without preamble. It was going to be a long day, but hopefully he could wrestle his stupid emotions into check long enough not to embarrass himself. 

He shuddered to think how the group chat would explode if word ever got out that Seto Kaiba had _feelings_.

Kaiba had just straightened up and gotten back to sending off another email when the door to his office opened, Yugi poking his tri-colored hair in before sending the rest of himself in after, work bag in hand.

Without looking up from his task, Kaiba pointed to one of the couches in the middle of the room in front of his desk.

"Sit," he commanded tersely.

The wry smirk Yugi shot his way told Kaiba that a witty retort would soon follow. He was not disappointed.

"I'm not Jounouchi, you know. No need for the dog jokes, it's too early in the morning."

"He'd flip out if he heard that," he shot back, unable to stop the corners of his lips from lifting in a ghost of a grin.

"Yeah, he totally would," Yugi laughed, plopping himself on the end of a couch closest to the desk, propping his chin in one hand and gazing expectantly at his boss through long, dark lashes. "So, what's on the to do list today, boss man?"

His terrible fashion sense notwithstanding, Yugi was his usual, cheerfully witty self today. Kaiba's toes curled within his expensive shoes at the sound of that silvery laugh. Cracking his neck and glaring icy blue daggers at his rival turned employee, he got down to business.

"Download the patch I sent to your email. It goes to the game I sent you yesterday. I made some updates to the battle system I need you to test for me."

Yugi whipped out his laptop from the bag at his feet and powered the little machine on. It was a Kaiba Corp. brand, and a little spark of pride slithered its way into his heart. It was the best one on the market at the moment. Yugi was the kind of person to litter it with stickers of all kinds; from Hello Kitty (seriously?), to some of his favorite Duel Monsters. (The one of Marshmallon and Kuriboh cuddling made him roll his eyes every time.)

Another couple minutes go by where the only sound is the clattering of keys from two different computers before Yugi replies.

"Got it. Will I have to start over, or will it work with my save file?" Yugi asked, glancing up from the laptop in his lap to turn those wide violet eyes his way.

If Seto Kaiba were a poetic man, he would wax on about the playful emotions he saw swirling in the depths of those violet orbs. Instead, he told his brain to shut the fuck up so he could get on with business as usual.

"It should work with the file you already have going. Just let me know if the system needs anymore changes."

Turning back to his laptop with a bright smile, Yugi tossed him a thumbs up before getting to work.

"Right-o, boss man!"

The young CEO idly wondered what the hell he saw in his other dueling rival. Then he kicked himself under the desk and got back to work like a normal person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I'm on a roll writing wise. Three fic updates in two days? That's hella impressive for me.  
> Thank you so much to everyone who told me they were interested in reading something like this. You're the reason this fic was born. <3


	2. Day One: Yami

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the play-by-play of chapter ten from Duel Squad. I couldn't think of any other way to start, so I just built on what I already had for the first half, then let my muse guide me for the rest of it.
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy! <3

The battle system did not need any new changes, and Kaiba walked off with a satisfied smirk to his meeting a few minutes later.

The rest of his day was spent in the company of stockholders, investors, and game developers. He'd left instructions with Yugi to return to the testing floor where he usually spent his days at Kaiba Corp. The King of nerds among his army of nerds. The role fit him perfectly.

The group chat was silent for the day while everyone went about their daily lives. It was well after working hours, when the pharaoh had long since picked Yugi up from work (shooting him a thumbs up as he walked to his own limo, which he acknowledged with a nod of his own) that the group chat finally flared to life once more.

He'd just exited the bathroom, one towel wrapped around his waist, the other tousling his hair dry, when the patter of raindrops alerted him to new messages. He ignored it for now, toweling himself dry before grabbing a pair of sweats from a drawer to change into. Only once he was warm and comfortable in bed did he bother to check his phone, sitting on the night stand, the soft blue light of the screen blinking after every message.

Might as well look in on what the geeks were up to now. 

Mazaki had just left for dance practice, Ryuuji was being an insufferable millennial, and Jounouchi was being his usual, overly dramatic self. Nothing unusual about that.

A new alert sounded just as he was about to set his phone down for the night and pick up the novel he'd been meaning to finish. A soft wind chime that tinkled, letting him know he'd been added to yet another group chat. He was about to let the culprit have a piece of his mind when he saw the pharaoh's username pop up alongside Yugi's and his own. 

_Oh._ Checking the time on his phone, the display showed him it was twenty minutes until eleven at night. That would explain why Yugi seemed to have no idea what was happening. The pharaoh was intending to break it to him over text first. Didn't they literally live in the same house? It had to be for Kaiba's benefit.

Fine, he would humor them. It wasn't like he was planning on going to bed anytime soon anyway.

BlueEyesCEO: We could just do this in person, you know.

His heart wasn't really in the suggestion, but it might be easier that way. Apparently, the pharaoh wasn't going to let him off that easy, though.

KingofGames: We will, but perhaps we need to try it this way first.

Figures. Then again, being face to face with the pint-sized duelist (he was still so much shorter, the nickname was going to stick) after spilling his guts and watching his reaction in real time didn't seem all that appealing, either.

Kuribonbon: whats happening  
Kuribonbon: is this a secret gc  
KingofGames: Yes.  
Kuribonbon: okay... explain...  
KingofGames: I think I will let Kaiba go first.  
Kuribonbon: if you want a threeway duel you could have just asked in the main gc??

Kaiba wasn't surprised that would be the first thing to cross his mind. It wasn't often they had three-way duels; those were usually reserved for special occasions. Taking a deep breath, he typed out the only thing that would get the man's attention.

BlueEyesCEO: This isn't about dueling.  
Kuribonbon: holy shit

And there it was. Kaiba allowed himself a rare smirk. He might actually enjoy this.

KingofGames: Please hear him out, Yugi.  
Kuribonbon: i'm sorry, i just  
Kuribonbon: it's so Weird hearing that from my boss and rival of 5 years

He didn't blame the guy; dueling was basically their livelihood. If this secret chat _wasn't_ about dueling, then Kaiba briefly wondered what Yugi really thought this _was_ about. 

BlueEyesCEO: Can you shut up for five seconds.  
Kuribonbon: wow, rude

A predictable reaction, exactly what he would have said had they been face to face. The CEO took that as a good sign and kept going.

KingofGames: We are going to have a serious conversation, and talk things out. Like adults.  
Kuribonbon: okay sorry  
Kuribonbon: pls continue

It was now or never. The pharaoh had set this whole conversation up, and now he had to see this through. Even if the thought of telling his long time rival (who was now on his payroll, for Obelisk's sake) how he _really_ felt about him.

This was the worst idea he'd ever agreed to.

BlueEyesCEO: I can't believe we're doing this, I'm going to vomit.

He was starting to feel exposed, and no amount of clambering under the covers was going to help matters. At least the pharaoh was _trying_ to help. The least he could do was follow through.

KingofGames: Tell him exactly what you just told me, and we can take it from there.  
BlueEyesCEO: Fine.  
BlueEyesCEO: But this stays between us.

Yugi's response was again predictable, but it did do its job in solidifying his resolve.

Kuribonbon: what happens in the Feelings Chat stays in the Feelings Chat  
KingofGames: Good enough.

Now that he thought about it, the pharaoh was a good mediator. He kept Yugi on track; as the man who knew him best (he'd shared a body with the guy for two years, it made sense, even if that was _weird_ ) and as a natural diplomat. He really was the perfect person for this job.

Kaiba grimaced. It was time to open up the floodgates once more and pray he would be able to survive the fallout.

BlueEyesCEO: Do you remember all those things I said about you - I guess it was the Pharaoh? - while we were dueling?  
Kuribonbon: which time?  
BlueEyesCEO: All of them.  
Kuribonbon: you'll have to be specific, sorry （*・∧・*）?  
BlueEyesCEO: Obelisk, dammit.

Yugi Mutou was the most _frustrating_ person to deal with; sometimes he wondered how he kept himself from strangling the duelist all these years.

KingofGames: Hold on, the others are wondering where we are.  
Kuribonbon: gonna say anything?  
KingofGames: You two talk, I will let them know we are unavailable.

Thank the gods, a distraction. Then again, that meant no barrier between him and an ADD moron with a one track mind and enough wisecracks to send him blubbering to the Shadow Realm. The thought was almost preferable to what he was subjecting himself to now.

While the pharaoh was busy in the other group chat, he had the other object of his.. well, not affections. Desires was a more accurate term, he felt. Now that they were alone, he had no idea what to say, a situation Kaiba rarely found himself in.

Kuribonbon: so, what about the duels??

Oh, right. The duels with the pharaoh. Cringing, he mentally replayed everything he remembered saying that even remotely sounded like a gay confession to his ears. There were kind of a _lot_ of those.

BlueEyesCEO: Remember when I jokingly asked him to step on my corpse?

Even though the pharaoh was busy, he was sure to have told Yugi everything that had gone on during that time after they had been reunited at the conclusion of DOMA.

Kuribonbon: i thought you said he looked like a horse  
BlueEyesCEO: It was actually the former.  
Kuribonbon: lmfao oh man i knew it

Kaiba froze, blinking at the phone screen. Did he really know? Yugi was probably just messing with him, as usual. Whether that was the case or not, he had to keep going. He had too much pride to back out now.

BlueEyesCEO: Remember that bullshit about 'making my heart beat faster'?  
Kuribonbon: yeah that was p gay ngl  
BlueEyesCEO: It was not in fact bullshit.  
Kuribonbon: woah, what????  
BlueEyesCEO: Feelings are bullshit, but they're there.

He was saved from having to respond again with the return of the pharaoh's username, which he now found oddly comforting.

KingofGames: Your feelings are valid, you know.

He kept repeating that to himself, over and over again. Whatever he was feeling for these two was _valid_ , it was _okay_ to feel this way. Kaiba idly thought that Mokuba would have said the same thing if he knew.

Kuribonbon: so wait  
Kuribonbon: you have feelings for atem??

He sighed deeply. Looks like he was literally going to have to spell it out for the dweeb.

BlueEyesCEO: Do I have to spell it out for you?  
Kuribonbon: uhh yes?  
BlueEyesCEO: Fine.  
BlueEyesCEO: I. Have. Feelings. For. You.

There, no way to misconstrue _that_ into something else. 

Kuribonbon: wow  
Kuribonbon: that sucks

Either he was being a self-deprecating little shit again, or he hadn't gotten the message across properly.

KingofGames: I think he misunderstood.

The pharaoh's message confirmed his suspicions. Either they were sitting together in the same room, or they were relatively close by. He was still typing everything out for Kaiba's benefit, which was.. rather considerate of him, honestly. No wonder he was starting to _feel things_ for the guy.

Kuribonbon: no, i get it  
Kuribonbon: your rival thing w atem is #serious

Yugi's responses continued along the predictable, ridiculous path they always took. It was going to take a miracle to get through to him. Perhaps all that hair was blocking out his reasoning skills.

BlueEyesCEO: Oh my fucking...  
BlueEyesCEO: You're literally the most frustrating person.  
Kuribonbon: it's a gift

He didn't often curse over text, but this whole situation was bringing out the kind of frustration he hadn't felt since their dueling days back in high school.

KingofGames: Yugi, he's trying to explain his feelings.  
Kuribonbon: yeah, i get that  
KingofGames: For the both of us.  
Kuribonbon: you're.... what....

Looks like the pharaoh's patient mediating was finally getting somewhere. Now to make sure the idiot got the message, in no uncertain terms.

BlueEyesCEO: Remember when I said I was gay?  
Kuribonbon: literally everyone knows that  
BlueEyesCEO: This is getting nowhere, I regret ever doing this.

Taking another deep breath to restore some semblance of calm, Kaiba reigned in his temper before he said something he really would regret.

KingofGames: Please give him some time.

The pharaoh's words gave him the courage he needed to see this whole mess through. It was time to knock the wind out of Yugi Mutou's sails.

BlueEyesCEO: Mutou Yugi, I want. To date. You.  
Kuribonbon: umm  
Kuribonbon: i'm flattered??  
BlueEyesCEO: Both of you.

Surely there could be no doubt now? The very thing he'd been trying to say this whole time had come out at last. He was almost relieved; and he was, until the pharaoh's next response came in.

KingofGames: Hold on, there was a loud thumping noise.

He was definitely typing things for Kaiba's benefit. That would explain a lot of things, actually. There was an easy enough guess as to what that noise could mean.

BlueEyesCEO: Did he drop his phone.  
Kuribonbon: wefRGGTRTYUNbfvsdcxs

Well, that answered that. Even without the pharaoh's confirmation text a second later, he could tell as much had happened, judging by the continued alert from the other group chat. Having ignored it for this long, he finally stole a peek at what the other nerds were up to and was unsurprised to see more keysmashing on Yugi's part. Ryuuji was telling some story about one of his recent attempts at romancing some poor girl. He guessed being pansexual had its merits. Kaiba wouldn't know, he'd never had any interest in women.

Yugi had finally returned to his senses, although the amount of typos present were testament enough to how much stock he'd put in Kaiba's earlier confession. It was time to put the final nail in the figurative sarcophagus.

BlueEyesCEO: Pharaoh, this isn't going to work unless he realizes I'm completely serious.  
KingofGames: We need to be patient with him.

Fine, he could be patient for a little longer. He took solace in the fact that talking with the pharaoh online or over text was the same as talking to him face to face. Yugi, however, was a different story.

Kuribonbon: so wergdtfgh wait  
Kuribonbon: atem do you realize  
Kuribonbon: waht this means  
KingofGames: Yes, I do.  
Kuribonbon: and you also hav feeligns for kaiba  
KingofGames: It was customary in my time for the Pharaoh to take many wives, or visit the harem.  
KingofGames: So long as the Great Royal Wife produced an heir.

Kaiba rolled his eyes, shooting off an immediate response. Now was not the time for a history lesson.

BlueEyesCEO: This isn't Ancient Egypt.  
KingofGames: Yes, there are some feelings that need to be addressed for me as well.

There was a minute or so between texts where he thought they might actually be conversing among themselves before another response came in.

Kuribonbon: so... how are we gonna... solve this..  
KingofGames: Kaiba and I have done some talking.  
Kuribonbon: so THAT'S what you were doign earlier  
KingofGames: Yes.  
KingofGames: I have explored the possibility of also having certain feelings.

At least Yugi was finally starting to get the message. Now he had to ask a question that had been burning at the back of his mind ever since he left for his first meeting earlier that day.

BlueEyesCEO: Does he even know what polyamory is?  
Kuribonbon: ofc i do  
Kuribonbon: i wasn't kidding when i said i was bi

Well, that had nothing to do with it, really, but it would have to do for now. It was time to see whether or not Yugi could handle the idea of that kind of relationship.

KingofGames: We have come up with a compromise of sorts.  
Kuribonbon: okay ummm  
Kuribonbon: i'm really tryign to wrap my head around this  
KingofGames: Take your time, we are in no rush.  
Kuribonbon: kaiba, you want to date?? both of us??

Kaiba nearly facepalmed. He had to keep a hold on his temper. It was like dealing with a small child sometimes. 

BlueEyesCEO: I'm not repeating myself.  
BlueEyesCEO: Coming to terms with the fact that there are actually two of you was hard enough.  
Kuribonbon: so, you finally believe the stuff abt memory world??

He wouldn't go _that_ far. It was hard enough to have feelings for two people that once shared the same body.

BlueEyesCEO: Let's not get carried away.  
KingofGames: Sometimes, things have no explanation.  
Kuribonbon: i'm still just  
Kuribonbon: wow!!!  
Kuribonbon: i'm sorry what was the compromise i was busy having a Moment

Kaiba rolled his icy blue eyes heavenward. This was getting them nowhere. It was time to let the pharaoh take charge; he was finally losing patience.

KingofGames: The compromise was that we take a week to explore our designated feelings for one another in a romantic context.  
KingofGames: Yugi and I are already familiar with what that entails for the both of us.  
Kuribonbon: haha yeah we are

Lucky _them_. Romance had never been his strong point, and now he was going to have to learn the hard way how to make two different people fall for him. A grueling prospect if anything. At least they had a starting foundation.

BlueEyesCEO: After the week is up, and things don't work out, we go back to things as they were before. Normal.  
Kuribonbon: so wait, lemme get this straight

He should have known better than to think Yugi would immediately take things seriously. (Or miss an opportunity to make an admittedly funny joke.)

BlueEyesCEO: Is that supposed to be funny.  
Kuribonbon: okay sorry  
Kuribonbon: lemme put this gayly  
Kuribonbon: we all date each other  
Kuribonbon: at the same time  
Kuribonbon: for a week  
KingofGames: Yes.  
Kuribonbon: and if it doesn't work out, we go back to not-flirting via dueling every other week?  
BlueEyesCEO: Essentially.

It sounded like he finally understood the gravity of the situation at hand. Now it was time to lead him in the right direction. (Besides, it was _very_ open flirting, and Yugi knew it.)

KingofGames: If anyone feels as though they are having second thoughts, we can back out at any time. No pressure.  
Kuribonbon: wow um  
Kuribonbon: i never thought i would get to date my boss of all people

Yugi was responding well to the idea; he still had his sense of humor, at any rate. Speaking of humor, it was time to unleash a little of his own. The pipsqueak seemed to respond well to humor, he found.

BlueEyesCEO: I'm not giving you any special treatment at work just because we happen to be dating.  
Kuribonbon: see, now there's the kaiba i know  
KingofGames: Are you in agreement, Yugi?  
Kuribonbon: well  
Kuribonbon: i guess if ur willing to try this out  
Kuribonbon: then i guess i can find out where this will go  
KingofGames: You are consenting to this?  
Kuribonbon: yes, i am  
KingofGames: Kaiba?

That was it, then. Problem solved. Yugi was in. It was only a verbal agreement (technically not even that) but Kaiba felt as though he was signing his life away. Regardless, it was far too late to back out now. He wanted to see if this was all worth it. If he really _could_ open up to someone other than Mokuba. (In this case, two someones that he'd long harbored more than just a casual rivalry for.)

BlueEyesCEO: Yes.  
KingofGames: Then we are in agreement.

Thank Obelisk, the hard part was now over. Whatever happened next would _surely_ be easier by comparison.

BlueEyesCEO: Now can we discuss this in person? I still have things to do.  
KingofGames: It's rather late..  
Kuribonbon: no, it's ok  
Kuribonbon: kaiba can come over to the game shop, i'll unlock the door and put on some tea  
BlueEyesCEO: Fine, but I'm not staying long.  
KingofGames: We understand.

A lengthy chat was now in order. Despite the late hour, he was no closer to feeling tired than he was twenty minutes ago when this whole conversation began. The whole lot of them were insomniac gamers, often awake until well into the early morning hours. He could intrude on their company for a little longer, at least.

Kuribonbon: hey it's cool  
Kuribonbon: i'm still just kind of  
Kuribonbon: in shock?? i guess??  
KingofGames: It will take some getting used to, but I am willing to make this work if you are.  
Kuribonbon: yeah!! i need to get used to it, but like  
Kuribonbon: i think we can do it

They were basically having a conversation in front of him now. At least Yugi finally seemed into the idea. 

BlueEyesCEO: I'll be over in ten minutes.  
Kuribonbon: you got it, babe ৲( ᵒ ૩ᵕ )৴♡*৹  
BlueEyesCEO: Don't.

Kaiba was having absolutely _none_ of that lovey-dovey bullshit. Yugi and the pharaoh had their own pet names for one another, and he was _not_ being roped into that. Not on the first day.

KingofGames: He seems excited, I can hear him humming from down the hall.  
BlueEyesCEO: We're not telling anyone about this.  
KingofGames: Of course not. Not until we are all ready.

Good, that was the first thing he was worried about - spilling the beans to the rest of those nerds was the worst thing he could think of happening right now.

Kuribonbon: oh man, jou's gonna throw a fit  
BlueEyesCEO: Which is why the dog stays outside.

That thought made him smile, the first one he'd allowed since the beginning of their little chat.

Ignoring the pattering of raindrops that began from the other chat, Kaiba stood, going for another change of clothes. He wasn't about to leave the house in his sweat pants. A pair of jeans (his good, gently used pair that hugged his hips _just right_ ) and a dark sweater would do the trick. No need to involve one of his precious trench coats. Maybe on the first date.

Grabbing his phone and keys, the young CEO made his way downstairs, taking a peek at the chat out of curiosity. Seems like the mutt had a good nose after all. Time to let off some steam.

RedEyesBlkDrag: idk i just got the sudden urge to flip a table in rich boi's face  
BlueEyesCEO: Keep your yapping to a minimum, I have a company to run.  
RedEyesBlkDrag: ONE PUNCH JOU  
RedEyesBlkDrag: HE KILLS KAIBA W JUST ONE BLOW  
xGraveKeeperx: oh wow, that even rhymes!  
Kuribonbon: fukcign weeb

Yugi and Jounouchi's playful way of insulting each other always stirred the curious thought that it was kind of how Yugi and himself had interacted. Not always, of course - in high school, he'd been far too much of a goody two shoes for that - but in recent years, especially after the pharaoh's return. 

Perhaps Kaiba had to thank him for more than he originally thought.

***

He ignored the group chat for the most part on the way to the Kame Game Shop, only taking peeks at stop signs and red lights; lurking, but not leaving any responses. It was illegal to text and drive at the same time anyway.

Nothing of interest was happening. Threats of murder (a weekly occurrence, he found), and abusing old memes (an unfortunate daily occurance, especially where Jounouchi was concerned). You know, the usual.

He finally arrived at the Game Shop, the green turtle-like roof marking the location easily. He'd always thought it was kind of tacky, but now it just sort of fit.

Pulling around to the side and throwing the car into park (of course he drove himself; there was no telling how long this kind of thing was going to take, and he'd be damned if he had to make Isono late and risk the ire of his wife), Kaiba slowly stepped from his car, hitting the button on the keyring to lock it. The car beeped loudly, the sound echoing around the empty street.

There was a light on upstairs. If they hadn't heard him get here, he would just have to resort to checking the group chat again. He did so anyway while approaching the front door, one hand on his phone, typing away, the other tucking his car keys into his pocket.

KingofGames: If we were in fact in the mood for sex, we would not broadcast it to the rest of the chat.  
BlueEyesCEO: Thank Obelisk for that.

That was the sort of thing that deserved commenting on. It also alerted his rivals to his presence. Looking up, he saw the curtain in one of the windows shift. A tan, tri-colored head of hair poked out. Kaiba thought he spotted a smile on the face as a hand emerged, pointing to the door in front of the awning. He nodded, looking back at his phone in time to see Yugi's response as he stepped up to the door and knocked on the glass; it was just another mashing of keys. Typical.

The chatter had died down in the group chat, so Kaiba thought to check the private one. He hadn't responded in awhile, and since there were no new messages, he assumed the two had finally gotten around to talking like normal humans and otherwise waiting for him to get there.

To: This Is Where We Talk About Our Feelings

BlueEyesCEO: I'm here, open the door.

It was best to be simple and to the point. Now that Yugi was no longer fucking around in the chat, this should be a snap.

Kuribonbon: jfc hold ur blue eyes

Maybe he thought too soon. It was time for another dash of wit.

BlueEyesCEO: Blue Eyes: *is held*  
Kuribonbon: ok i take it back i think i'm in love w/ you  
BlueEyesCEO: Wow.  
KingofGames: Is that really all it took?  
BlueEyesCEO: Figures.

He was just as surprised as the pharaoh, it seemed. A light flicked on in the front store room; blue eyes narrowed in response as he tucked his phone away. No sense in responding now that someone was on their way to open the door for him. He wondered if it would be Yugi, since he seemed so keen on riling him up.

Not this time, it seemed. A door behind and to the right of the glass counter opened at the back of the store. The pharaoh stepped out, shirtless, but wearing a pair of whitewashed jeans with wide rips at the knees. Hair up in a neat ponytail and a grin dancing at the edge of his lips, he made his way to the front door, unlocking and opening it just enough for Kaiba to enter.

The bell over the door tinkled in response, but he paid it no mind, stepping inside and out of the pharaoh's way so he could lock the place up again.

"Good evening, Kaiba," the warm voice intoned, motioning for him to head up the stairs. "Please, after you."

Nodding, he headed in the indicated direction, stepping down into the _genkan_ at the foot of the stairs to exchange his boots for a pair of large house slippers, standard issue in any Japanese establishment. The pharaoh waited patiently, not bothering to make small talk, for which he was glad. 

A brief trip upstairs, the pharaoh pausing to turn the light back out on the showroom floor, and Kaiba found himself in a sitting room of sorts. The television was on, a late night game show playing on low volume. Since Yugi's grandfather was nowhere to be found, he assumed the old man must be asleep just down the hall. That was fine, but the young CEO was loathe to have anyone else bare witness to what was about to go down.

"Please, make yourself at home. Yugi is in the kitchen, preparing us some tea." 

That also explained why the pipsqueak hadn't shown his face yet. Maybe he was hiding. Not likely. Yugi Mutou was no coward; not even the prospect of entering into a polyamorous relationship with his boss would have the man play dead.

"Thanks," Kaiba replied stiffly, taking a seat on one sofa, while the pharaoh occupied the other. 

Well, more like he draped himself over the cushions as though it were a throne. Did he _always_ have to sit like he owned every inch of the space he occupied? Asshole.

Rather than stare at the (admittedly) attractive elephant in the room, Kaiba entertained himself by watching whatever channel they had left the TV on before he got there.

A soft humming reached his ears. At first, he thought the pharaoh had finally decided to open his mouth again, but one look at the tanned individual across from him told him otherwise. He was smiling serenely, but no sound came from his lips. That made sense, seeing as the voice had a higher register.

A moment later, a figure appeared in the kitchen doorway, laden down with a tea tray filled with cups, spoons, a kettle, and probably a sugar holder.

"Sorry about the delay, folks," Yugi said brightly, coming to set the tray on the table in between them. "I dug out some left over cake, I hope that's okay."

"That sounds lovely, Yugi. Thank you," The pharaoh responded, casually draping an arm over the back of the couch as Yugi plopped on the cushion beside his boyfriend.

Kaiba helped himself without preamble, pouring a cup of tea and stirring sugar into it before taking a tiny sip. Black, mixed with honey. Not bad.

"So," Yugi began, stirring sugar into his own cup. "What brings you over to these parts, Kaiba?" His tone was light and playful, flashing a grin over the rim of his cup. Unfortunately, Kaiba wasn't really in the mood to flirt. Maybe later.

"You know full well what, Mutou." He didn't touch the cake sitting on its own plate on the tray. He wasn't hungry, and unless they insisted, he wasn't going to take any.

"You'll have to excuse him, I'm afraid." The pharaoh smiled, the picture of a perfect host. A perfect, shirtless host who had no business being the most attractive person in the room. It was time to rope his libido into line. "That's his way of coping." he continued, as though Kaiba needed him to clarify the man's behavior.

"Coping, expressing my wonderful sense of humor. Same thing," Yugi was pouting openly now, leaning his spiky head on his boyfriend's arm still casually draped across the back of the couch. The pharaoh's tan fingers automatically began to card through the plum, red-tipped curls slowly, as though relishing the texture.

Kaiba wanted to kick himself. Instead, he just scowled at the pair of them, but mostly at Yugi, who now wore an expression of such utter contentment, it seemed as though he might fall asleep at any moment.

"If you're quite finished," Kaiba bit out, just the tiniest bit impatient (read: jealous). "How do you propose we start this.. _thing_." He couldn't bring himself to call it a relationship, not quite yet.

The pharaoh took a slow gulp of tea before placing it in its saucer on the table, finally extricating his fingers from Yugi's hair. 

"Seven days," he began, finally getting to the crux of the matter. At a confused hum from Yugi, the pharaoh continued. "We agreed to try dating each other for seven days. I can only speak for myself in this matter, but the fact remains there are some.. unresolved feelings. I am not sure how to approach this otherwise." He admitted, shaking his head with a chuckle.

"We know it's probably asking a lot of you, but you did say you'd be willing to try, right?" Yugi asked, finally coming out of his content stupor to stare across the table at Kaiba, who set his half-finished cup of tea in its saucer and leaned forward, steepling his fingers together and unleashing the frosty blue daggers otherwise known as his usual expression.

"Right," he confirmed; not one to back down, he continued the thread of conversation from where it had been dropped, "this whole dating thing. It stays between the three of us until we all agree otherwise." He kept up the stern eye contact until both Yugi and the pharaoh nodded an affirmation.

"Are there any specific boundaries we need to go through?" The pharaoh piped up, leaning towards the CEO, his wine red gaze piercing.

Right, boundaries. Kaiba had quite a few. If they were going to make this work, they needed to know. Not everything - he wasn't ready for _that_ conversation yet - but enough to get the gist of things. What made Seto Kaiba so unapproachable would be a decent starting point.

"There's.. a few," he swallowed, suddenly feeling trapped in his own skin. He got up, leaving his tea on the table, to pace around the back of the couch, hands clenched into loose fists at his sides. 

Abandoning his own tea, Yugi slowly stood, approaching Kaiba with an air of wary curiosity.

"Kaiba? What's wrong?" he asked, all traces of that shit eating grin had vanished. Kaiba found nothing but concern flickering in those violet eyes. He now resembled the boy he used to be: far more concerned about others than himself.

The pharaoh also stood, though he remained leaning against the arm of the couch, watching things unfold.

"I don't do well with touching," Kaiba blurted out in the stifling near-silence. The TV was still running the game show, though it was background noise to the real action going on in the living room. "I'm not affectionate, I don't _do_ hearts and flowers."

It was a start, and the two seemed to appreciate his honesty, judging by their soft expressions.

"Well, would you be willing to try those things?" Yugi asked, hesitancy hanging off his every word. "Not all at once, of course!" he added, waving his hands in front of his face. "Just. Eventually, I mean."

 _Eventually._ Kaiba swallowed thickly, trying to clear the lump that had formed in his throat. Eventual affection. He didn't let his mind wander farther than that. He contented himself with a nod. If he admitted to anything else tonight, he really was going to vomit.

"Okay, well.. do you want to try now?" Yugi smiled, a hopeful little twitch of his lips that dissolved the lump in Kaiba's throat. For the first time, he noticed that Yugi was wearing the opposite of what his other half had on. An oversized t-shirt with the Duel Monsters logo emblazoned on the front (fucking _nerd_ ) that hung to his knees, and no pants. Maybe he was hiding a pair of tiny shorts under that thing, but he couldn't be sure.

"Try what?" Kaiba eyed the younger man warily, as though he might be fucking with him again. (If Yugi was going to continue to fuck with him, he didn't want it to be like _this_.) 

Casting a look back at the pharaoh, who only gave an encouraging nod back, Yugi took a few tentative steps forward until he stood about a foot away. Kaiba noticed with some small satisfaction that he had to crane his neck to look him in the eyes.

"How about a hug?" 

_What._ He folded his arms across his broad chest with a snort. Seto Kaiba, hug one half of the King of Games? (He knew they liked to share the title; had been told multiple times, much to his chagrin.) It was more likely that he would spontaneously combust. He took one look at the pharaoh, who looked like he was trying so _hard_ not to smirk, that all hesitation about the matter flew out the window.

"Fine," he snorted, unfolding his arms and trying to relax as much as possible. Yugi wasn't going to hurt him. He didn't even look like he could hurt a fly. (He knew better, but his mind was too busy coming up with the picture of them _actually hugging_ to do much more than remain skeptical.)

Yugi crossed the remaining distance between them; now they were standing toe to toe, gazing at one another - cautious optimism on Yugi's part, and casual indifference on Kaiba's. As though he were approaching a caged animal (really, he wasn't far off the mark), Yugi extended a hand, resting it gently on Kaiba's waistband. Inhaling sharply at the contact, Kaiba stood stock still, waiting for the inevitable press of another body against his.

It came, though not without reluctance. Finally breaking eye contact, Yugi leaned forward the rest of the way, nose pressing against his sternum, hands tentatively snaking around Kaiba's waist to rest on the small of his back. They breathed in, and out, neither daring to move.

Kaiba sent a pleading look the pharaoh's way, which he hoped would be interpreted as "Holy shit, I have a tiny cute gremlin clinging to my midsection, what the _fuck_ do I do?" and evidently, he must have gotten it right, because the Egyptian cocked his head to the side before uncrossing his arms and coming to stand within inches of hugging distance himself, placing his body within Yugi's line of sight.

Now that he was faced with actual affection, having been starved of it himself for nearly his whole life, Seto Kaiba was at a _loss_. He wasn't lying when he said he didn't _do_ affection. He couldn't really recall what happened next, only that he suddenly had a lap full of Yugi and an ancient pharaoh staring him down, one hand resting firmly on his shoulder.

Yugi blinked, bewildered as _fuck_. He was now practically straddling his boss on the arm of their couch, the pharaoh hovering almost protectively behind him. 

"Um," he murmured, Kaiba's large hands settled snugly around his hips. 

" _Please_ be gentle," the pharaoh pleaded, his voice sounding far away, but returning to normal volume rather quickly.

Staring down at his lap full of Yugi (well, _this_ is not how he expected this encounter to go, but he wasn't going to _complain_ about it), Kaiba took in the stiff posture (he would feel if dicks were involved, but that wasn't the case this time), the large violet eyes, the bob of his adam's apple as he swallowed, the way his fingers were digging into his arms - _ouch_. Back up.

"He's not going to hurt you, Yugi," the pharaoh whispered close to his boyfriend's ear. The Yugi in Kaiba's lap nodded without speaking.

This wasn't the Yugi Mutou he saw on a daily basis, the Yugi who would snark back at him without a moment's hesitation, or miss the opportunity to make the shittiest joke possible when given the chance. This was a Yugi Mutou who was _afraid_. Kaiba's ice blue eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What happened?" he managed to ground out between clenched teeth. It was the pharaoh who opened his mouth to answer, but Yugi beat him to it, seeming to finally find his voice.

"It's fine, Até. He deserves to know." He sounded braver than he probably felt. He still hadn't taken his eyes off of the man beneath him, though he made no move to speak again.

Kaiba idly wondered what would happen if he gave the flesh beneath his fingers a gentle squeeze. (The picture of a squeaking dog toy came to mind, and he had to _fight_ to keep his mouth from betraying him.)

"Very well," the pharaoh relented, removing his hand from Kaiba's shoulder to look him in the eye. "A couple of years ago a group of thugs jumped Yugi on his way back from the library. If Jounouchi, Honda, and I had not arrived when we did, things would have been much worse."

That explained the frightened rabbit routine. The need to be gentle, the sometimes biting (but _not_ malicious; he didn't think Yugi was truly capable of being downright cruel) comments that passed his lips without remorse. (Casually telling Jounouchi to fuck off in the gc when his dramatics got too out of hand was a good example. It was also funny.)

"Don't say anything else, pharaoh." He was barely controlling himself as it was. He might _actually_ hurt the man in his lap if he heard any more. The thought of anyone laying a finger on Yugi like that was not only appalling in itself; it triggered something inside him akin to rage. Even after everything he'd put the dweeb and his groupies through, that was _nothing_ compared to what almost happened to him two years ago.

Hesitantly, Kaiba raised a hand, bringing it up to Yugi's cheek, but not yet touching skin. Those violet eyes followed its every movement until it was a hairsbreadth away. He took a deep breath before nodding once, a quick dip of his head. (The tips of his hair tickled Kaiba's chin, but he would work up to touching that soon enough.)

Keeping the other settled snugly in the dip between Yugi's waist and thigh, Kaiba finally brushed his fingers along the man's cheek; it wasn't round or soft as it likely used to be. It seems like Puberty had finally paid him a visit, though several years too late. The skin was still soft, the cheekbones a bit more defined, but the face was still _his_. He gently coaxed Yugi's head down to rest his chin atop the spiky head, fingers winding themselves in the surprisingly soft curls. He felt rather than saw the sigh of contentment that slipped from his lips as the man in his lap finally relaxed, bit by bit.

"Well done, Kaiba." The pharaoh's rich voice sounded in his ear, and he only just realized his eyes had fallen shut. With a noncommittal hum, Kaiba opened his eyes, finding himself inches from the piercing wine red gaze. "May I try something as well?" he asked, tone as light and playful as Yugi's had been earlier.

Kaiba blinked once, managing a nod after a moment of consideration. (He vaguely registered an annoyed huff from somewhere around his collar bone area, but again, his mind raced ahead, picturing the man doing _anything_ to him caused his toes to curl into his house slippers in anticipation.)

He managed a bit more than a blink when a pair of warm lips pressed against his forehead. 

_What._ The pharaoh had taken his time, slowly brushing the bangs away from sapphire blue eyes that watched his every move with calculating ease, only registering the kiss after the fact. One tanned, muscular arm came to rest around his shoulders; the other snaked its way around Yugi, squeezing his shoulder gently and running the pads of his fingers up and down the man's bare arm.

They stayed like that for a long moment until Yugi lifted his head to stare lazily up at Kaiba, who was still struggling with the fact that two men had just willingly put themselves at his mercy and he'd done nothing to stop them. 

"My legs are kind of cramping here," he quipped, half-lidded eyes searching Kaiba's own.

"Oh." Instead of saying something witty or flirty, that's all the young CEO managed on such short notice. The whole kiss and cuddling thing was still playing itself over and over on repeat in his head. 

"That means I need to move, genius." Yugi's sense of humor was returning, and with it, his cheeky grin. The pharaoh chuckled, extricating himself from both of them, yet remaining within touching distance.

"How about I throw you over my shoulder instead," he finally managed to get passed his brain-freeze to snark back at the man still straddling his lap. (There may or may not have been a rather _large_ problem making itself known just then, but if Yugi was willing to ignore it, so would he.)

With a roll of his eyes, Yugi shoved the chest in front of him until it tipped back onto the couch cushions proper. The hand had yet to leave his hip or his hair, so down he went, until Kaiba once again found himself with a lap full of Yugi. A still very pants-less Yugi, who had no problems settling his happy little ass into the CEO's lap, whose legs were now half hanging off the arm of the couch. 

"Or maybe I can just sit here for the rest of the night. It's rather comfy, you know." That sharp wit was going to slice and dice Kaiba to pieces (and he was of half a mind to let it).

"Another time, perhaps," the pharaoh sounded highly amused as he gently lifted his boyfriend under the arms and off Kaiba's lap. He let the man slip through his fingers, not wanting to hurt him more than he likely already had, though regretting the loss of warmth immediately. (Not to mention the shield that had done such a good job of blocking out his _problem_ that still had yet to go away.)

"My boyfriend is such a spoil sport," Yugi groaned (that did _not_ help Kaiba's problem any).

Composing himself quickly, Kaiba let the pharaoh deposit a pouting Yugi back onto the opposite couch, where they both regained their original positions. 

"Technically, Kaiba is _your_ boyfriend now as well," the pharaoh gently reminded him, retrieving his abandoned cup of tea and taking a sip as though nothing had happened.

"Oh, yeah." The light in Yugi's eyes had returned, and Kaiba suddenly found he was _terribly_ thirsty. 

He said nothing, choosing to finish his tea, crossing one leg over the other in attempt to corral his arousal. It barely made a difference, but at this point, all he cared about was keeping _it_ out of the current conversation.

"Well, that was an adventure," Yugi quipped, finishing the last of his tea and grabbing a slice of cake and a small fork. 

Kaiba could only hum in response.

"Indeed, though I think we may have given him a little more than we intended."

As usual, the pharaoh was being his typical diplomatic self. (Next time, Kaiba would try to straddle _him_ just to see that pretty mouth gasp in surprise.)

"What, I can't even have dessert?" Yugi pouted, giving his - _their_ boyfriend the big violet eyes routine.

"I thought you just had it," Kaiba found his mouth answer before his brain could catch up with him.

Yugi's head whipped around while the pharaoh snorted into his empty cup of tea. Well, he finally managed to make his sense of humor return, at least.

"Holy shit," Yugi laughed, a silvery wind chime noise that plucked at Kaiba's otherwise undiscovered heart strings. 

"The pharaoh has a point, though." Checking the time on his phone, Kaiba was surprised to note that it was nearly midnight. He'd already stayed longer than he intended, and they all had work in the morning.

"My _other_ boyfriend is such a spoil sport, too." The pout had yet to leave Yugi's lips (Kaiba found himself thinking his mouth would be put to far better use _elsewhere_.) although a smirk danced around the edges, threatening to break through.

Kaiba rather liked the sound of that. Now that he'd had a taste, he wanted _more_. Then again, they had a whole week to figure things out.

"I'm going to assume this counts as our first day?" the pharaoh asked, gathering the empty cups of tea and placing the slice of cake back onto the tray, much to Yugi's disappointment.

"Yes," Kaiba answered, his customary icy tone returning, though it no longer held the cold irritation it normally did. "Tomorrow will be day two."

"What should we do tomorrow, then?" Yugi's light and playful tone had returned in full force. (Good, he hadn't accidentally traumatized the guy.)

"We can work things out once we've all had a good night's sleep," the pharaoh replied, standing to take the tray back into the kitchen.

"Aw, if you say so."

If he lingered any longer, Kaiba was in serious danger of his _problem_ escalating beyond his control. It was just starting to lessen, and he wanted to keep it that way.

The pharaoh returned a moment later, running his hand along the back of the couch as he circled it, carding his fingers through his partner's hair, perhaps out of habit.

The game show had long sense ended, and now the midnight news played softly in the background. It really was time to go, he needed to check on Mokuba.

"Sorry for.. earlier." Kaiba cringed as he stood, voice sounding pathetic to his own ears.

"You're forgiven," Yugi chirped, ducking the outstretched hand and heading for the door. "Come on, Kaiba, I'll walk you out."

Shaking his head with a soft chuckle, the pharaoh waved them both off, bidding his newest boyfriend goodnight. The Arabic rolled off his tongue, doing rather funny things to Kaiba's self-restraint. (He knew exactly what had been said, which was still _strange_ , but he didn't hate it.)

Swallowing thickly, Kaiba returned the parting words with a nod, heading downstairs after the small whirlwind that was Yugi Mutou. (His _boyfriend_ , he had to casually remind himself.)

He was waiting at the bottom of the steps, leaning against the wall before the _genkan_ , toying with a lock of hair. Kaiba was studiously ignored as he exchanged his house slippers for his boots. Flipping the lights in the show room on, Yugi wordlessly led him through the door and down the aisles of gaming paraphernalia to stop beside the front door. 

"I wanna.. try another thing before you go." He was smiling coyly, never a good sign.

"What?" he asked, not unkindly.

Yugi crooked a finger his way, beckoning Kaiba down to his height. Eyebrows flirting with his hairline, Kaiba bent down until he was towering over his smaller companion. He only had time to register the mischievous glint in those bright violet eyes before a pair of tiny, soft lips crashed against his.

 _Finally_ , Seto Kaiba was allowed to know what lips felt like; Yugi's were plush and slightly chapped, as though he'd bitten them earlier and neglected to apply chapstick after. (Kaiba knew Yugi well enough to know the man took care of himself. They were alike in that aspect.)

Kaiba didn't so much as bat an eye as he opened his mouth, craving _more_. The little gasp that left Yugi's lips was _intoxicating_ ; he smothered it with his own muffled moan, lips gliding against each other in a kind of dance that neither of them knew the moves to.

Before things escalated any further (or the pharaoh decided to get nosy and come to check on them; he might find himself in a similar situation if he did), all Kaiba had to do was gently cup Yugi's cheeks in his palms and nudge him back a couple of centimeters. _Gentle_ , he reminded himself grimly. 

Yugi stared up at him through glazed, half-lidded eyes. Kaiba permitted himself one more display of affection - the pads of his thumbs ghosting down the sides of Yugi's cherub-like cheeks - before drawing away from the man completely.

"In my office. Tomorrow morning. If you're late, you're eating lunch _alone_ with the other nerds." He meant it, though he doubted Yugi, who just had quite the taste of something Kaiba himself didn't even think he was capable of giving, would let the opportunity pass him by.

"One nerd in your office, coming right up, boss."

With a roll of his eyes and a loud snort, Kaiba left before he could open his mouth again. (The _problem_ that had lessened somewhat earlier had come back with a vengeance. He thought it might be wise to leave while that was still an option.)

Without a backward glance, Kaiba made his way back to his car, unlocking it with a quick press to the fob on its keychain and climbing inside. Turning the key in the ignition and setting the car into gear, Seto Kaiba sped off into the late night, noting with a smirk the front light in the Kame Game Shop had gone out just as he reached the corner to the next street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> genkan - traditional Japanese entryway areas for a house, apartment, or building—something of a combination of a porch and a doormat. The primary function of genkan is for the removal of shoes before entering the main part of the house or building.
> 
> pray for Kaiba, it's tough to love(?) a tiny memelord and an ancient pharaoh who still doesn't know what the word 'chill' means


	3. Day Two: Rain of Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please have mercy
> 
> mercy
> 
> mercy on my heart...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't realize this chapter had gotten so long until I saw I was only halfway through writing it out _yesterday_. You can expect all the chapters to be about this long, tbh. Pray for me.....
> 
> Kaiba is trying his best, you guys. He wants to feel like he can actually be liked (loved?) by someone other than Mokuba, but he knows he is a hard person. He _knows_ that, but still wants to try, and I hope I've conveyed that well enough.
> 
> I hate myself for all the metaphors I used this chapter.
> 
> Please enjoy, and thank you all so much for reading! <3

It was well after midnight when Kaiba returned to his mansion. Mokuba was safely asleep when he poked his head into his bedroom. Satisfied, Kaiba went straight to his own room, changed back into his sweats, brushed his teeth, and climbed into bed. Taking a minute to check the group chat, he found it exactly as he'd left it earlier; no new messages had popped up since his visit to the Game Shop, so he put his phone on charge and grabbed the book he'd left on his night stand earlier.

After the first couple of chapters, his mind started to wander back to his encounter with Yugi before he'd left; he kept replaying the feel of the other man's lips against his, pleasantly warm and soft where his own were not. Swallowing thickly, he adjusted himself (his _problem_ was beginning to piss him off now, but he'd be damned he got off to _that_ of all things) and skimmed the rest of the chapter in an indifferent, half-hearted sort of way. 

Another pair of lips popped into his thoughts; brushing tenderly against his forehead, leaving a spot of blossoming warmth in its wake. Frustrated, Kaiba slammed the book shut, chucking it back on the night stand. This was ridiculous. Emotions were difficult enough to deal with, but having his body respond in such a way, without having any control over it.. It was _annoying_. He wasn't a blushing _virgin_ , for fuck's sake. True, he'd never really been with anyone before, had never even been interested. 

The thought of being vulnerable like that, even with someone he was attracted to, was difficult to grasp. He was almost tempted to just take care of it now and then get to sleep, but that would take him down a road he wasn't sure he could travel down right now. 

He ended up seething quietly, finally slipping off into unconsciousness over an hour later when he'd sufficiently calmed down.

***

When he woke up to the blaring of his alarm clock at 6am, Kaiba slammed the snooze button and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His dreams had been the usual ridiculous visions of a past life he still had trouble believing in, and it felt like he hadn't slept at all. Wonderful.

Going about his usual routine, Kaiba put all thoughts Yugi, the pharaoh, and Ancient Egypt centric from his mind. Those could be examined and dealt with at a later hour. (It was too early in the morning for that train of thought; he hadn't even had his daily dose of caffeine yet.) Exiting his bedroom after dressing and grooming himself for the day, he knocked on his brother's bedroom door across the hall from his. Hearing a displeased grunt, followed by a soft string of swears (where he got _that_ from was a mystery), he shook his head and swept down the stairs. Mokuba would join him soon enough.

Making his way to the kitchen, he nodded to the cook, who set a plate of _omurice_ in front of him on the island counter, along with his customary coffee mug. The Blue Eyes White Dragon roared majestically from her place on the mug; it was empty, of course. Kaiba liked to get his own coffee, despite having it made for him every morning. He liked it black, with three spoonfuls of sugar to combat the bitterness.

He was halfway through breakfast, a newspaper laid out on the counter before him, when his brother trudged downstairs, smothering a yawn behind his hand. Mokuba was not a morning person, but he still adhered to Kaiba's schedule for the most part. Plopping himself in the stool across from his brother, Mokuba murmured a sleepy thanks as a plate of _omurice_ was set in front of him. (No Blue Eyes Mug followed, no one else was allowed to touch it.) 

Conversation was scarce, but that was normal. After breakfast, Kaiba fixed his brother's tie and tucked his shirt in while Mokuba ran a brush through his hair. It was much shorter than it used to be; he'd dyed it a deep blue at some point. It was his choice, he'd be the one to live with it after all.

He wasn't ready to fill his little brother in on the deal he'd made with Yugi and his boyfriend just yet. He wasn't afraid of judgment, or that Mokuba would disapprove. They'd just agreed not to tell anyone until they were all ready for that bomb to drop, which included the younger Kaiba. (Either way, _that_ was a conversation he wasn't looking forward to having.)

***

The ride to Kaiba Corp. was filled with Mokuba's usual easy chatter. Once he'd had his mug of warm tea for the morning, the younger Kaiba was raring to go, ready to face the new day. Making a pit stop to drop him off at the middle school he was required by Japanese law to attend (he'd been through a similar situation in high school, and he didn't envy the boy), the rest of the ride was spent in comfortable silence.

He found himself checking the group chat once more, but there was nothing of interest. Either no one else was awake, or they were already at work. Good, that meant peace and quiet, at least for awhile.

It wasn't until he arrived in his office some minutes later - informing his secretary that he was expecting a certain spiky haired gremlin in his office shortly - that Kaiba finally steeled himself and got down to business. Stomping the memory of lips sliding against his own and brushing his forehead, he began his usual routine.

First came checking his bank account (no surprises there, still obscenely wealthy), then the stocks (both for his own company and other investments he'd made for personal gain; Kaiba Corp. was up by six points), then the endless tide of e-mails (if he had to hear about the cutscenes for the new rpg he was developing were delayed one more _fucking_ time..). It was eight in the morning when his desk phone began to ring. 

After the flood of calls were taken care of, an hour had already gone by. Kaiba briefly considered texting Yugi and telling him to get his leather-clad ass in his office (don't think about that too much, _idiot_ ), but there was no need. A minute later, his secretary buzzed to let him know that one Yugi Mutou had arrived. Rubbing at the ache that had settled at the base of his skull (no matter how much he worked out and kept himself healthy, sitting stiffly at a desk all day was shit on his physical well being) he told them to let him in.

A tri-colored head of hair poked its way through the door. Spotting his boss, lips quirking into the ghost of a smile, Yugi sidled the rest of the way in, shutting the door behind him. Dropping the hand from his neck, Kaiba observed the man closely. 

His hair was slicked back into a sort of half-ponytail (the fleeting image of a similar head of hair standing across his balcony during the annual Christmas party briefly flitted across his thoughts before he mentally swatted it away) and he was wearing the same suit he'd worn to that party. Clearly mimicry was a talent of his.

"Reporting for duty as asked, boss!" he chirped, coming to stand in front of one of the couches in front of his desk.

"Sit. You'll be shadowing me today." He jerked his neck towards one of the couches, immediately regretting the action. Gritting his teeth, he watched as the command was obeyed without a snarky comment, depositing the bag by the table at his feet.

"Ooh, sounds fun. What's the plan?"

Yugi seemed his usual self, minus the belts and chains. (He'd really have to ask if the guy was actually as kinky as he came off, or if he was just messing with everyone.) Rolling his shoulders to try and dispel the ache, Kaiba picked a file from the small pile on his desk, tossing it to the front.

"Grab that and leave your bag here. I have a meeting with the VR department in ten minutes." Again, the command was obeyed without comment. He tried not to get used to it, attributing it to their budding.. _arrangement_ of sorts. (He still couldn't find it in him to call it a _relationship_ just yet. That apprehensive part of him had yet to die out.)

"Hey, are you okay?" Yugi asked, the customary lightness in his voice disappeared, replaced with genuine concern. "You keep rubbing your neck."

"I'm fine,"Kaiba huffed, dropping the hand that had strayed to the throbbing ache at the base of his skull. It wasn't important and could be dealt with later.

"I'm good with my hands, you know," Yugi quipped, dropping the file back on the desk as he approached. (Don't even go _there_ , not right now.) "I can help with that," he continued, coming to a stop in front of the large swivel chair. "It won't take but a minute."

"I don't need your help." Kaiba eyed Yugi up and down, trying to seek out an ulterior motive. They were at work, he _should_ know better. Then again.. the prospect of relieving that persistent ache _was_ rather tempting, even if it was only temporary.

"You'll be doing that all day otherwise," Yugi huffed, folding his arms across his chest. "I'll be good, promise."

Kaiba studied him for a long moment. With a sigh, he stood, brushing past Yugi to take his usual place on the couch. As much as the thought of the much shorter duelist trying to work around the back of the chair amused him, he wanted this over and done with before the meeting.

"Make it quick," he muttered, carefully removing his trench coat, draping it across the cushion beside him. (It was one of _those_ days.)

His shoulders automatically tensed as a small pair of hands rested gently against them.

"Hey, it's okay," Yugi murmured, adopting the tone of someone approaching a cornered animal. (He didn't _like_ it, even though Yugi meant well.) "Just relax for a few minutes. I'll be gentle."

Gradually, the tension in Kaiba's body decreased. Yugi gave a hum of approval and got to work, his deft hands kneading the corded muscle of his shoulders with a practiced ease.

"Gods, you're ripped as _fuck_ ," Yugi commented, hands making their way up to the base of his skull. (Kaiba decided he liked the way that light voice uttered the curse, not missing the teasing tone that came with it.)

The small hands had just begun to work at the knot of tension on the back of his neck, and he was only able to manage a half-hearted snort, clenching his teeth around a shuddering exhale before it could escape. His shoulders shook with the effort of keeping his fine tuned control from slipping. 

"I could say the same for you," he finally managed, chin slowly drooping to rest near his collar bones.

The musical wind chime laugh sounded near his ear, toes curling in his boots in response.

"Nah, I'm nowhere near _your_ level, but thanks for noticing." Now his hands were moving south, thumbs rubbing small circles in the flesh as they went. 

Kaiba tensed again as the thumbs rubbed roughly under his shoulder blades, just above his ribs. He grabbed a fist full of his slacks, clenching the material to keep him grounded.

"If you don't relax, I'm never going to finish," Yugi threatened, hands pausing in their course still further south. (He was spiteful enough to resist, as it meant Yugi would keep going. Sure, he'd have to reschedule the meeting, but it might be worth it to keep those hands where they were.) "I _could_ stop, but I'd rather not see you in pain." There was that concern again. (He thought he might snap if Yugi didn't keep going.)

With a noncommittal grunt, Kaiba relaxed the stiff set of his shoulders bit by bit until he was hunched forward on the couch, hands still clenched into fists at his sides. The hands once more applied pressure to his aching muscles and - _oh gods_. Yugi had to be leaning over the back of the couch so he could reach his waist, rubbing just below his rib cage. 

Back arching away from the probing fingers, Kaiba suddenly got to his feet, the huff of annoyance from behind him masking the poor attempt to suppress a shuddering moan. (His cock gave a twitch of approval; he wanted those hands back on him, but not _now_ , and not _here_.)

"I was almost finished," he could hear the pout in Yugi's voice, even if he couldn't see his face. "Why'd you move?"

"You didn't need to go that far. I'm _fine_ ," he grunted, turning to scoop up his trench coat and shrug it on, arranging it in a way that would hopefully quell any questions about the sudden _problem_ now presenting itself. (He _really_ needed to get that shit under control.)

"Oh, well," Yugi faltered. When he finally turned to face his boyfriend (yeah, gonna shove _that_ can of worms deep into the closet), he saw Yugi had righted himself, scratching the back of his neck and looking guilty. "Sorry, I was kinda focused."

"It's fine," he relented, rolling his shoulders. The ache had lessened substantially, and he resolved to thank him properly before the work day was over. "Let's go, we still have a meeting."

Without looking back, he turned away, making for the door to his office. He paused on the threshold, waiting for Yugi to collect the file from his desk and hasten to catch up before he closed the door behind them.

The elevator ride was _agony_. Being confined in a small space with the only person to touch him like _that_ , even briefly, caused his thoughts to stray into forbidden territory. (His imagination tossed him a series of images all of Yugi in rather compromising positions. They were _not_ worth repeating, so he buried them next to the can of worms.) No words were exchanged, and by the time they reached the designated floor, Kaiba had wished he'd never come to work.

The meeting with his VR department went better than expected. Yugi reviewed the file he had been given, noting the glitch in the system's technology that made getting to the last hour of the game nearly impossible.

"If no one can get passed all three murderous dolls in the last hour, what's the point in continuing?" he'd told the head of the department, a middle-aged man with greying hair and glasses who seemed to take his opinion to heart. (It was probably the suit.)

Kaiba watched it all from the side lines, noting the thrilled smile on Yugi's face as the device was strapped over his eyes. Apparently, he wasn't worried about being stuck in a virtual world for the third time. He didn't put much stock in horror games; never saw the appeal. The look on Yugi's face as he conquered one hurdle after the next, waving the nunchucks frantically to teleport away from the knife wielding doll might just change his mind, though.

They were there for over an hour as Yugi played through the entire thing, pausing to give tips every now and again. ("Jumpscares are okay, but too many of them can wear a person down. The game loses its appeal once you get used to them." Seriously, he should have hired the guy sooner, the looks on his staff's faces were _priceless_.)

When he finally went through the last motions of the game, the head developer gave Kaiba the thumbs up. Maybe he should give Yugi a raise. He gave them instructions to put the final touches on the game before finalizing production. When they took the headset off, Yugi blinked owlishly at them all for a moment before his vision adjusted. Beaming like the cat that at the canary, he thanked the developers for all their hard work and complimented them on the unique controls.

"Send me an e-mail when you're finished," he told the department head, jerking his thumb back down the hall towards the elevator. "I'm taking the nerd back to his cave."

Yugi's silvery laughter chased him all the way to the elevator. Silence once more reigned on the way back up to his office, only punctuated by Yugi's soft humming. 

They still had an hour until lunch, so Kaiba gave Yugi a thick folder full of possible concept ideas for the sequel to his previous RPG, _Dying of the Light_. There were item lists, a Bestiary, Spell, Trap, and NPC lists. It was enough to keep anyone busy. 

Yugi was only too happy to help; he likely would have given his opinions even if he wasn't being paid to do so. It was only when his stomach rumbled loudly in the near silence of the office that Kaiba called for a halt.

Lunch was a pleasant distraction from the usual stress of running a company, and Yugi's snark was a welcome addition. He was in the middle of telling Kaiba that the pharaoh always made his lunch ( _disgustingly_ domestic nerds) when his phone began to play a portion of a song he thought he recognized. (Later he would come to find out it was the opening theme for Yuri!!! On Ice and he wanted to punch Yugi in his cute, spiky head.)

At the same time, the patter of raindrops alerted Kaiba to new posts in the group chat. If he had to guess, Yugi had set the song to alert him of the same thing. Digging out his phone from his inside jacket pocket, Yugi opened the app, only to snort in amusement.

"Jou wants my attention," he said by way of explanation. When Kaiba looked for himself, he found that Yugi was right. "Am I allowed to answer, or..?" The fact that he even bothered to ask, when before he couldn't have cared what Kaiba thought about what he chose to do on his lunch break, was surprising in itself.

"Do whatever, I'm not your keeper," he muttered just loud enough for Yugi to hear. At Yugi's answering snort, he turned back to his own lunch, checking the myriad tabs he had open on his desk computer in between bites.

Yugi was kind enough to put his phone on vibrate, typing away with the ease of someone very accustomed to using a keyboard. Kaiba eventually grew curious as to the conversation topic and chanced a peek.

Of course, the first thing he would see is a very implied sexual innuendo. Fucking _seriously_. What was so interesting about their sex lives anyway? (Although, he had to admit the bit about the Pharaoh being asexual _was_ interesting. He would have thought the exact opposite of him.)

At the mention of America's new president, Kaiba couldn't help but interject.

PeachSunrise: the horrid orange cheeto is doing dumb shit again  
RedEyesBlkDrag: ugh  
Pompadours4Life: sorry, anzu  
BlueEyesCEO: May want to reconsider studying abroad, Mazaki.

That entire conversation lasted a whole two minutes before they switched topics. The next one seemed to involve the bet they all made the previous month. (Jounouchi's idiotic comments aside.) It was only when Yugi's response to the deadbeat popped up that Kaiba finally broke the silence, snorting loudly.

RedEyesBlkDrag: hold the fukcingf phdone  
Kuribonbon: phone: is held  
BlueEyesCEO: I'm going to strangle you.

His reply set Yugi laughing again. Apparently, his sense of humor had returned when the ache in his muscles had vanished. (His sense of humor was always buried beneath indifference or outright disdain, but it was never far from reach.)

Ishtar's reply caused an eyebrow to flirt with his hairline.

xGraveKeeperx: careful, he likes that sort of thing ;o  
Kuribonbon: um, how tf would you know??  
xGraveKeeperx: your fashion sense speaks volumes  
Kuribonbon: i'll have you know chokers are still in fashion, tyvm  
Kuribonbon: besides, you wear gold collars, so stfu

The casual roasting (not his choice of word, he'd stolen that one from Yugi) among the chat actually broke up the tedious monotony of Kaiba's otherwise boring day. The next change in topic heralded another interjection from the CEO.

RedEyesBlkDrag: sorry mama anzu u_u  
Kuribonbon: excuse me!! i'm the mother in this hellhole  
BlueEyesCEO: None of you are parents, and I shudder to think what would actually happen if you geeks procreated.

He could practically hear Yugi rolling his eyes from his place on the couch, his lunch container all but empty now.

HarpyQueen: nothing like a good old kaiba roast to start off the lunch hour

Kaiba frowned; was he really so predictable? He thought that side of him had died with his teenage years.

Over the next few minutes, more casual roasting followed. By this time, Kaiba had stopped paying attention to his computer, focusing instead on finishing his own lunch in between scanning the group chat on his phone.

xGraveKeeperx: i live for validating my friends <3  
Kuribonbon: dont we all?  
BlueEyesCEO: No.

That brought a snort from Yugi, who was now finished with his lunch, leaning against the back of the couch and typing furiously.

Kuribonbon: yeah ok, mr "nobody defeats atem but me"  
KingofGames: I thought that was just our thing?  
BlueEyesCEO: It is.

He was worried that their little exchange would raise some suspicion, but no one batted an eye. It seemed like the pharaoh had nothing better to do than socialize. Then again, it was midday, the Game Shop didn't see too many customers while kids were in school and their parents were at work.

Again, the topic of conversation changed. It was a normal occurrence at this rate, so he really shouldn't be surprised. 

Kuribonbon: mokuba thinks she's cute, too  
BlueEyesCEO: Excuse me.  
RedEyesBlkDrag: do WHAT???  
Kuribonbon: fkn chill jou ur sis is #adorbs

Turning narrowed sapphire blue eyes Yugi's way, he found a sly grin inching its way across his employee's face. He knew something Kaiba didn't, and that was annoying. Rather than comment, he turned back to his phone, where the subject of praising Jounouchi's sister reigned supreme. He barely remembered the girl; a flash of long auburn hair, kind brown eyes, and a courageous set to her lips as she stared him down, begging him to land the blimp so that they could get medical attention for the fallen duelists.

He blinked and the image vanished. He didn't personally know the girl, but Jounouchi was fiercely protective of her, just as he was with Mokuba. That was about the only thing Kaiba respected him for, and he supposed he should say something civil about her as a peace offering.

BlueEyesCEO: I guess she's not as annoying as most of you.  
RedEyesBlkDrag: don't push ur luck kaiba  
Kuribonbon: ok but coming from him thats like.. praise or smth  
PeachSunrise: true

Tilting his head, Kaiba eyed the man still lounging on the couch. He gazed almost thoughtfully down at his phone now, ignoring his boss' gaze.

"You don't need to defend me," he spoke, keeping the bite from his words. Jounouchi's antagonism was expected, almost welcome. Yugi was not (currently) the source of his ire.

"I know, but still," Yugi shrugged, cleaning up his empty lunch container, stuffing it back in his bag.

Kaiba checked the clock in the bottom right of his computer screen. Lunch was coming to an end, which explained why Yugi was packing up his things.

Kuribonbon: breaks over, gotta scram!! before kaiba gets pissed  
BlueEyesCEO: I want progress reports later, Mutou.

Yugi choked back a snort, shooting him a look that plainly said "I'm literally in the same room with you, you shit." The CEO smirked in response.

Kuribonbon: yeah yeah, so bossy  
RedEyesBlkDrag: this is why i'd rather die than ever work for you  
BlueEyesCEO: The feeling is mutual.  
RedEyesBlkDrag: EROGTJKN YOU WANNAF CUKIFNG DUEL BITHC???  
HarpyQueen: you'd think he'd be used to this by now  
PeachSunrise: yeah, but its jou  
DiceBoi: true

At least Yugi was playing along, though Kaiba supposed he treated most things like a game. Jounouchi's continued rage every time he responded was well worth it, too.

BlueEyesCEO: I'll pencil you in for a good beating next Tuesday.  
RedEyesBlkDrag: the only one gettin beat here is you  
BlueEyesCEO: Keep telling yourself that.  
Kuribonbon: um, back to work both of you??  
KingofGames: That goes for you as well.  
Kuribonbon: i would if you shits would stop blowing up my phone  
Kuribonbon: (ily tho)

Kaiba shook his head, ignoring the final patter of raindrops in favor of tidying up after his lunch. Yugi and the pharaoh's gentle admonishments had stirred the buried feelings again, but it still wasn't time to take them out for examination just yet. He had to get through the rest of the day, first.

"So, what now boss man?" Yugi asked, perching on the arm of the couch.

Good question. There didn't seem to be anything else that needed Yugi's immediate attention for the moment, as a quick perusal of his desk clutter revealed.

"Go back to the nerd cave, I don't have anything else for you right now." 

Yugi shrugged, hopping down from his precarious perch. Rather than grabbing his bag and leaving the office, he approached the desk, rounding the corner and coming to a stop in front of the swivel chair. Raising an inquiring eyebrow, Kaiba turned to meet him, finding himself face to face with a pair of bright violet eyes.

"What?" The question hung in the air for a moment, his tone gruff but lacking its customary icy bite.

"Well, do you fancy a goodbye kiss? I won't see you until maybe tonight."

 _Oh._ Eyebrows coming together, Kaiba's frown did not disappear; gazing stoically back into the pair of violets aimed his way, he swallowed, contemplating whether or not it was a good idea.

"I don't think that's wise." He found it all too easy to keep the cold indifference from his voice, but he couldn't mimic the pharaoh's warm and loving tone even if he wanted to.

"Are there cameras?" Yugi asked, glancing around the ceiling above the desk. An amused snort brought his attention back to the man sitting in front of him.

"Not in _my_ office," his tone left no room for doubt. 

"Is anyone going to walk in?"

"Not unless I call for them." The question was easy enough to answer, despite the doubt still swirling in Yugi's eyes.

"Then do you not want to?" Now he was almost pouting.

Kaiba took a moment to examine his feelings. He was hesitant to engage in any kind of physical affection while at work. He hadn't been lying when he'd said they would be alone unless the CEO chose otherwise. His apprehension was getting the better of him again. Was there really harm in a single kiss? He had promised he would _try_. 

"All right, fine," he relented, steeling himself for the second time that day.

He was afraid he might want _more_ , and that would be rather inappropriate, given the setting.

An easy grin stretching his lips, Yugi did not lean down for his kiss; instead, he very carefully nudged Kaiba's legs together, sliding his legs in the free spaces and coming to rest on his lap. The only surprise his boss showed was a slight widening of the eyes before his features settled into cool acceptance. The palms of his hands came to rest in the dip between Yugi's hips and thighs; giving the flesh beneath his fingers an experimental squeeze, he reveled in the silvery giggles that bubbled forth. (Okay, so he was really starting to enjoy the sound of that laugh. Sue him.)

"What is it with you and sitting in my lap?" Kaiba stared the man down, unwilling to lose ground.

"It's a nice lap," Yugi murmured, leaning closer, a string of blond hair caught between his lips. "It was made to be sat in."

Kaiba rolled his eyes, brushing the strand of hair from Yugi's face before their lips met.

It was still just as clumsy as last night; Yugi kept nipping at Kaiba's bottom lip, trying to take control. One of Kaiba's hands snaked its way up into Yugi's hair, eventually holding him in place while he lazily explored the other's mouth.

Their lips slid together; slowly and deliberately. Yugi trembles just slightly in his grasp, and Kaiba takes the opportunity to flick his tongue out for a taste. (If he didn't know any better, the runt was pressing up against him on _purpose_.) Kaiba felt the faint fluttering of Yugi's heart, beating a rapid tattoo in tandem with his own. 

The telephone on Kaiba's desk began to ring, startling both men, lips parting with an awkward popping sound. Keeping the hand on Yugi's hip steady, he answered the phone without looking at the caller ID, never taking his eyes off the now panting duelist in his lap.

" _What._ " The frostiness had returned, and though he stared right at Yugi as he listened to the person on the other end, thumb tracing idle circles above the waistband of his slacks, he felt no anxiety from his boyfriend. (He was going to have to warm up to _that_ , hopefully before the week was up. He was getting there, albeit at a snail's pace.)

Yugi took the time to catch his breath, leaning back and away from the phone. Kaiba wasn't the best kisser, but he _was_ relentless. He had to constantly remind himself to be gentle with the man in his lap; he didn't want a repeat of last night if he could help it. 

The CEO dropped the phone casually back into its cradle, signalling the end of the conversation. The sound did not seem to jar Yugi from whatever thoughts he was lost in. Only when Kaiba gently ran the pad of his thumb across his bottom lip did the duelist in his lap stir. A pink tongue darted out, catching the digit with a swift swipe. Sapphire blue eyes narrowed, the tiny kitten lick catching him slightly off guard. (The pharaoh wasn't hard to read; Yugi, however, was a tiny enigma wrapped in studded leather and sharp wit keen enough to keep outsiders at bay. He'd have to remember that.)

"You need to leave." Kaiba wasn't too reluctant to end their encounter; he had things to do, and so did Yugi. Gratuitous making out in his office chair was _not_ one of those things. (Maybe some other time. _Definitely_ some other time.) His tone was not icy, just shy of carefully controlled nonchalance. 

"Oh, uh.. right. Sorry?" It came out as a question rather than a statement. Kaiba shrugged, slowly taking the hand from Yugi's hip and using it to nudge him out of his swivel chair. (His legs had been about to fall asleep. He was of half a mind to ask if Yugi wanted to massage the life back into them, but he knew there'd be no leaving the office, and he couldn't afford anymore weird intimacy today.)

"I guess that's your limit for now?" Yugi asked, straightening his suit jacket and sweeping the bangs from his eyes.

Kaiba turned his swivel chair to face the front of the room once more, giving him a moment to breathe freely again before responding.

"You could say that." he said dryly, steepling his fingers and staring at his boyfriend over the top of them as he came back around the desk to retrieve his bag from under the table.

"Oh, well. Uhm.. let me know what you want to do later, okay?" his tone was light, hopeful even. 

A terse nod was Kaiba's only response, as the phone on his desk chose that precise moment to ring again. Yugi tossed a smile and a playful wave over his shoulder as he left the office, bag slung over one shoulder and a pair of simmering blue eyes watching him walk away.

The CEO picked up the phone for the second time in five minutes. The conversation was a painfully short one. Once he hung up the receiver, he finally took a chance to just _breathe_. Emotions in check, he calmly informed his secretary to redirect all his calls for the next hour. He would use the time he bought himself to examine the feelings that kept cropping up every time Yugi left his sight. (His little _problem_ had returned, too. Figures.)

Kaiba spent the hour alone with his thoughts. The phone did not ring, but that did not stop the e-mail alerts from pinging. He ignored them for now, closing his eyes and turning his attention inward. A series of questions presented themselves, and he answered each one with calculating ease.

Why did he feel so apprehensive about letting someone else in? That was easy; his stepfather was to blame for that. Mokuba was the only one who got to see him at his worst, and at his best. Gritting his teeth, he realized what the problem was. He was afraid of getting hurt. Seto Kaiba was afraid of _nothing._ (At least that's what he told himself while laying awake at night.) He'd already begun to let Yugi in a little more, and had no regrets about it. (His kissing prowess _might_ have something to do with it, though.)

Was he willing to make this.. _thing_ last for longer than a week? That, he wasn't sure of yet. It was only day two; it was still too early to tell yet if this had the potential to work. They needed to know more about each other than just their skills at dueling. There was still plenty of time to remedy that, though. He was in no rush.

Did he feel up to more than just sloppy make outs? Again, that was something he couldn't answer right away. He didn't put much stock in losing his virginity to anyone; it was a social construct anyway, and he didn't feel like he would be losing anything. It was more like sharing a part of yourself with someone you trusted intimately. (The whole trusting someone else _not_ to fuck you over thing was something he would have trouble with.)

With a heavy sigh and shake of his head, he cracked his knuckles and got back to work. 

***

The rest of his day passed in the same manner as always. He took more phone calls, yelled at a few people, and made sure everything ran as smoothly as a well-oiled machine. Contrary to Yugi's earlier assumption, they did not see each other once the work day had ended. 

By the time he finally got home, Kaiba was in his usual, bitingly callous mood reserved for everyone but Mokuba. (He might have to add Yugi and the pharaoh to that list. We'll see.)

He spent the remainder of the evening with Mokuba in the game room. It was time to let off some steam. (There might be something to be said abut not letting his own brother win against him, but this was Seto Kaiba; the man who lost to _no one_.) ((Except Yugi and Atem, but we _don't_ talk about that.))

It was only once ten o'clock rolled around that he finally got around to texting his boyfriends. (There, he didn't cringe at the mere thought. He was making progress.) The group chat had a few sparse messages since the last time he checked, but he ignored them in favor of their own private chat.

To: This Is Where We Talk About Our Feelings

BlueEyesCEO: I'm guessing it's too late to do anything today.

It was the only thing he could think of to start with. Maybe they were mad with him that he hadn't texted sooner. The response took a few minutes to appear, but he was glad when it did.

KingofGames: Not at all. Did you have something in mind?

Nothing from Yugi just yet, but he wasn't worried. The pipsqueak would respond whenever he wanted to and not a minute sooner. 

BlueEyesCEO: Not really. 

It was a pathetic reply, but he was _trying_ , he was making an _effort_. Mokuba was curled against his side on the sitting room couch, not paying him any mind. He was absorbed in the television program playing. (Some anime about a Go player who was haunted by the spirit of an ancient playing board. The irony was not lost on either of them.)

Kuribonbon: wyd

He was familiar with the abbreviation, thanks to Mokuba. (The boy knew more text and slang than should be allowed by law.) 

BlueEyesCEO: Watching anime with Mokuba.  
Kuribonbon: which one??  
BlueEyesCEO: No clue. The Pharaoh might appreciate it.  
KingofGames: Oh? How so?

Kaiba found that conversation came easy tonight. Mokuba gave him a curious look, which he returned with a shrug. He'd put his phone on vibrate so it wouldn't disturb his younger brother, though he kept it angled away from those keen blue grey eyes.

BlueEyesCEO: Something about a Go player who's haunted by the ancient spirit of the board he found in his attic.  
Kuribonbon: lmfao i remember that one  
KingofGames: I may need to look it up, it sounds interesting.  
Kuribonbon: it was also a manga back in the day

The domestic nature of their conversation was not lost on Kaiba. They were talking about _anime_ for fuck's sake. It was the sort of thing he rest of the nerd herd found interesting. (He shuddered to think he would _ever_ become one of them.)

Kuribonbon: so anyway, you up to hanging out or??  
KingofGames: Our options are limited due to the late hour.  
Kuribonbon: not rly, we could go clubbing or smth

(Being surrounded by strangers with loud, pounding music, alcohol, and body odor? No _thanks_.)

BlueEyesCEO: Not my scene. Just come over.  
Kuribonbon: to ur place??  
BlueEyesCEO: No, to the other mansion with a Blue Eyes engraved in the front gate.  
Kuribonbon: ooh sarcasm  
Kuribonbon: thats hot  
KingofGames: Should we bring anything?

Now that he thought about it, what _would_ they be doing if those two came over? Likely take turns dueling, or something.

BlueEyesCEO: Bring your decks.  
Kuribonbon: thats a given  
KingofGames: Understood.  
Kuribonbon: ok but we'd better not just duel the whole time we're there  
BlueEyesCEO: We'll see.

He decided to leave it at that. Mokuba shifted his attention back to his older brother once the ending credits rolled.

"What's up, Seto?" he asked, sitting up and straightening out his hair.

"We'll be having company shortly."

Mokuba huffed and stood, stretching his tiny arms above his head.

"Business again?"

Kaiba sometimes entertained business moguls in the lounge when he really wanted to pursue a new deal. It was cheaper that way, plus it let his competitors know that he could be accommodating where they could not. (The only exception to this was Pegasus, and he knew perfectly well _why_ that was.)

"Not exactly." He was still apprehensive about telling Mokuba of his arrangement with Yugi and the pharaoh. He figured they should have a say so in spilling that kind of tea. (That expression was still lost on him, though he'd heard Jounouchi use it about a dozen times already.)

"Finally having friends over?" The question was punctuated with a cheeky grin. 

"Something like that."

The wide-eyed look on Mokuba's face was priceless, even if a spark of indignation flared in response. Kaiba rolled his eyes, heading for the kitchen to see if anyone was still awake. They were, so he requested a pot of tea be put out for when company arrived. 

The order was obeyed, and within twenty minutes, the bell rang, echoing through the corridors. 

"I'll get it!" Mokuba exclaimed, side-stepping the butler, who shook his head and let the boy have at it.

An excited cry met his ears as he followed Mokuba into the entryway; the doors had been flung wide to let in a cool breeze, Yugi and the pharaoh just stepping over the threshold.

"Hey, kiddo," Yugi replied easily, thanking the butler who stepped forward to hang their coats on the rack by the door.

"Good evening," the pharaoh's warm voice intoned, taking in his surroundings with a quiet kind of wonder. (He remembered a similar expression on the man's face as they rode in one of his helicopters across Battle City. It was almost kind of endearing.)

"Hi, Yugi! Hi, Atem!" Mokuba chirped, having no problem addressing either by their first name. "What brings you guys here? Does my brother want another duel?"

"Something like that," Yugi said, hands casually thrown behind his spiky head.

Kaiba's snort drew three pairs of eyes his way; he'd been leaning up against the doorway to the sitting room, arms folded loosely across his chest.

"Hello, Kaiba," the pharaoh smiled, greeting him easily. "Thank you for inviting us at such a late hour."

It was pretty common for them drop by whenever Kaiba fancied a duel, though never this late. Usually, that was reserved for his days off (a rare treasure) or every other weekend.

"If you guys are gonna duel, can I watch?" Mokuba asked, throwing a pleading glance his brother's way. Their duels were always something extraordinary, and he didn't want to miss a second, judging by the gleam in his blue grey eyes.

"Fine," Kaiba replied, shrugging lightly. "at least until your bedtime."

"Sweet!" Mokuba exclaimed, latching onto Yugi's sleeve and dragging him towards the stairs.

Yugi's silvery laughter leading the way, the four of them ascended to the second floor, where the game room was located. The little shit protested against using the duel arena ("I don't wanna make all the effort if we're just gonna take turns!"), so they ended up doing it the old fashioned way. (Kaiba was _not_ sulking; his holograms were fabulous, the pharaoh had said as much.)

With a table between them, Yugi elected to go first while Mokuba and the pharaoh sat beside one another, watching from the side lines.

Their first duel ended in a draw. After that, it was the Egyptian's turn, which resulted in a fantastic display of Spellcaster versus Dragon. (For the millionth time. They usually made a new deck very time they dueled, just to keep things fresh. That wasn't the case this time.)

Mokuba groaned as his brother's life points dwindled to zero. After that, he raced down the hall to grab his own deck, just to try his hand.

He lost, of course, but Kaiba encouraged him to duel both King of Games anyway. If he was to succeed his older brother one day, it would be good for him to become familiar with his rival's ( _boyfriends_ ) strategies.

The tray of tea sat on a side table, mostly forgotten during their games. At one point, Mokuba proposed tag team dueling, but Kaiba refused on the pretext of sending his brother off to bed. (He'd seen the earlier yawn, he wasn't blind.)

So, with a chorus of good nights following him, the younger Kaiba trudged off to bed, the promise of future tag team dueling lifting his spirits. By that time, it was nearing midnight, but neither Yugi or the pharaoh seemed keen on leaving just yet.

"You almost won, you know," Yugi revealed once they'd cleaned up and retired to the sitting room on the ground floor at five minutes after midnight. "If I hadn't drawn the Spell I needed, I would have lost."

"Same as usual then," Kaiba grunted, crossing his legs and bringing the last of his tea to his lips. (He was almost used to the routine losses by now, but they still stung.)

"Pretty much." Yugi wore a contented smile, like he was only too happy to be there.

"So, Kaiba," the pharaoh piped up, having finished his tea moments before and replacing the cup on the tray. "What would you like to do now?" 

He let the question hang in the air a moment as he collected his thoughts. Yugi's head tilted his way, and Kaiba found himself faced with a gleaming pair of violets, drowsy but for the flicker of mischief that flitted across their depths. They had a coffee table between them (out of courtesy for the butler, who was still hanging around somewhere), but there could be no mistake about the direction their thoughts had turned to.

A sudden smattering of rain, followed by the skating anime theme song broke the silence. With a sigh and roll of his eyes, Kaiba fished his phone from his pocket, checking the messages that began popping up in the group chat. Yugi, however, seemed unconcerned, his eyes never leaving the CEO's.

"Is it urgent?" the pharaoh asked, bringing his own vibrating phone from his pocket.

One look at the chat told him the answer.

"No, Ryuuji just can't keep his mouth shut." Kaiba ignored the chat for awhile, though he did pause to put his phone on vibrate so he could get back to the conversation at hand.

Yugi seemed to be on the same page, switching his phone over to vibrate and leaving it in his lap.

"Can we talk about stuff now, or..?" Yugi trailed off, idly fingering a lock of blond hair while still keeping his eyes locked on the man across from him. (The pharaoh was sitting beside his partner, though at a respectable distance, considering they were not really alone.)

"About what?" Kaiba asked, not unkindly. 

Their phones continued to vibrate, cutting into the atmosphere. With an annoyed huff, Yugi scooped his up and began typing. Mildly curious, Kaiba peeked down at the chat to see what his _boyfriend_ had to say.

DiceBoi: okay so.... we should all change our names  
Pompadours4Life: wtf why  
DiceBoi: b/c it'll be funny  
Kuribonbon: can u pls keep ur insomnia to urself  
SpookyDM: Might as well hear him out, Yugi.  
Kuribonbon: ugh fine

Bakura seemed one of the only few who could quell Yugi's fiery attitude, and Kaiba wondered why that was. (Maybe it was the whole "playing vessel to an ancient spirit" thing they had going for them. Bakura was better off without his, though.)

Another glance down at the chat told him they wouldn't be getting any peace for some time yet. 

KingofGames: So, how will this work?  
DiceBoi: just change your user to something with boi in it, boom  
DiceBoi: classic comedy  
Kuribonbon: idk how this is funny but w/e

A swift username change followed. Kaiba didn't see the appeal, so he didn't bother.

On the pretext of taking the tea tray into the kitchen, Kaiba left the room. (Anything to escape Yugi's keen eyes that would not leave him, save for responding to the chat.)

Leaving the on duty night cook to take care of the dishes, Kaiba took his customary stool at the island counter and simply watched the chat. He didn't feel the need to shoehorn his way into the conversation; plus, it gave him license to eavesdrop on the murmured conversation in the other room. (Yugi was helping the pharaoh come up with a username change to fit the stupid theme Ryuuji had come up with. That man needed more sleep.)

DiceBoi: my bois....  
BlackDragBoi: this is gonna take some gettin used to  
KuriBoi: i had to help atem w his  
SpookyBoi: You know, I rather like this change.  
BikeBoi: ishtar did it wrong  
xBoiKeeperx: did not! D;  
xBoiKeeperx: do you know how long it took me to come up with something that made sense?  
HarpyBoi: i was going to go with HarpysBrother because he's an actual card, but it didn't fit the theme :<  
PeachBoi: idk about mine it makes me sound like a virgin  
DiceBoi: that would be cherry boi  
KuriBoi: gross  
BlackDragBoi: hang on, we're missin someone

He knew that eventually, someone would notice his absence (figures it would be _him_ ), but still, Kaiba refused to play along. Only when the alert for his private chat with Yugi and the pharaoh sounded did he bother to respond.

To: This Is Where We Talk About Our Feelings

KuriBoi: kaiba change ur name pls  
BlueEyesCEO: No.  
KuriBoi: you said you would make a better effort w our friends

Admittedly, he _had_ said that - they were in the middle of a back and forth Spell and Trap chain combo at the time. Still, his stubborn streak had not abated.

BlueEyesCEO: They're your friends.  
KuriBoi: our friends now, boo  
BlueEyesCEO: Excuse me.  
KuriBoi: *boss  
BlueEyesCEO: Better.

The exchange of banter felt natural, and Kaiba found a smile working it way across his face.

KingofBois: I highly doubt it will hurt anything. It is a secure chat, is it not?  
BlueEyesCEO: That isn't the point, Pharaoh.  
KingofBois: You may call me Atem, you know.  
BlueEyesCEO: Whatever.

The smile disappeared, replaced with a thoughtful frown. Of course, the pharaoh - Atem - had said he was welcome to address him by his name (now that he actually _had_ one), but Kaiba had stubbornly refused. Now, however, he supposed he could at least give it a try.

KuriBoi: where is ur sense of humor  
BlueEyesCEO: In my back pocket.  
KuriBoi: ur literally sitting down i can see you from the kitchen  
BlueEyesCEO: That's the joke.  
KuriBoi: ur sense of humor is a fukign joke

Yugi's wind chime giggles sounded from the sitting room. Even if he hadn't found the joke funny and was laughing at something else, Kaiba still found himself enjoying the man's laughter, muffled as it was by the thick wall separating them.

The pharaoh piped up then, suggesting he ask Mokuba for his opinion. Yeah, that wasn't happening. As the subject of his inevitable username change came up again, Kaiba let one of his rare curses slip out, snorting softly at Yugi's response.

KuriBoi: bae using the gods instead of cursing is so cute tbh  
BlueEyesCEO: What.  
KuriBoi: *boss  
KuriBoi: sorry, my fingers slipped  
BlueEyesCEO: I'll give you a slip of the fingers.

Yugi was riling him up, and judging by the amused snort from the other room, he was enjoying their exchange as well. His response to the innuendo left Kaiba reeling. Was he being _serious_? (He never knew with Yugi, the man was full of witty retorts.)

Shaking more inappropriate thoughts from his mind, he switched back to the group chat, which had undergone yet another name change of its own. It was time to put Jounouchi in his place, Kaiba's favorite past time.

To: Everybody Loves Shizuka

BlackDragBoi: we're missin rich boi  
BlueEyesCEO: I think I can come up with something better than that.  
BlackDragBoi: prove it

He only took a moment to think of an appropriate name change. Sure, it was a bit spiteful, but Kaiba was a spiteful man.

BlackDragBoi: great, now i gotta change mine  
KuriBoi: nah just leave it, its hilarious  
BikeBoi: everybody gets one  
PeachBoi: way to go kaiba, you're one of us now  
WhiteDragBoi: Not by a longshot.

At least he wasn't the only one who thought the change was humorous. Mazaki was seriously off her shit if she thought he'd be joining their little club anytime soon. (Even if he _was_ technically dating two of them now.) Yugi's response made his eyebrows once again flirt with his hairline.

KuriBoi: keep telling urself that bitch  
WhiteDragBoi: What.  
KuriBoi: *boss  
KingofBois: This may be getting out of hand..  
DiceBoi: nah, this is perfect

He was starting to sense a pattern. The cook bustled through the back entrance, asking if he wanted anything. It was doubtful the other two would be staying much longer, so he shook his head no. With a murmured "Goodnight, sir" they departed, leaving him alone once more. 

Kaiba took one more look at the group chat before deciding he had left the two nerds alone for long enough. He regretted it instantly.

DiceBoi: now... we are Shizuka and the Bois...  
BlackDragBoi: wtf why  
BikeBoi: cause ur sis is bomb af  
BlackDragBoi: i'm gonna shove ur fkn pompadour in ur exhaust pipe  
KuriBoi: kinky  
xBoiKeeperx: you would know ;o  
KuriBoi: yeah i would

That was _not_ something he needed to know, and he said as much in the chat. A few more responses followed, but he ignored them. Cracking his neck, thankful the ache had yet to return, Kaiba stood, heading for the door. When the alert for his private chat sounded, he paused to read it.

To: This Is Where We Talk About Our Feelings

KuriBoi: yeah, you did need to know  
WhiteDragBoi: Why are we dating.  
KuriBoi: b/c i'm cute af and also the best duelist in the world (aside from atem)  
KingofBois: Valid reasons.  
WhiteDragBoi: At least I'll be first in the bedroom.

His sense of humor had surfaced, and Yugi's silvery laughter welcomed him back into the room with open arms. When Mokuba's laughter filled the house, it made the place seem a bit more like home. When Yugi's laughter filled the room, he wanted to wrap himself up in the sound and let it lull him to sleep. (He could add that to the "Gay Shit I've Said About My Rivals" list now.)

"Welcome back," Yugi called as Kaiba dropped into his previously occupied spot across from them.

He was curled against Atem's side, (he had to remind himself it wouldn't kill him to use the man's name from now on) arms wrapped around his boyfriend's torso, phone in one hand. Atem was carding his fingers through Yugi's curls with one hand, phone held up in the other, presumably to keep track of the goings on in the chat. He acknowledged the greeting with a nod, turning back to his phone.

Speaking of the chat, it was still going strong.

BlackDragBoi: [what](https://i.imgflip.com/13ong1.jpg)  
DiceBoi: what.....  
WhiteDragBoi: Stop doing that, it's not funny.  
KuriBoi: spoil sport

After his last response, the others logged out on by one, wishing everyone a good night. A yawn punctuated the silence, high and sweet, like a child's. Taking that to mean it was time to leave, the three put away their phones and got to their feet, save for Yugi, who remained in his spot, pout firmly in place.

"What, are we leaving already?" Yugi was stubbornly clinging to Atem's sleeve. (Asshole, stop being _cute_ in my own house.)

"Yes, _mery-i_. We have taken up enough of Kaiba's time," Atem replied, patient as ever. (The foreign word was lost to Kaiba, despite being able to understand nearly everything else he said that was not in Japanese.)

"Aw, fine." Yugi relented, though he still refused to move from his spot.

Chuckling, Atem turned his back, squatting down and holding his hands out behind him. Getting the hint, Yugi stood, hopping onto his back and clinging there like some kind of cute, tri-colored parasite.

"You're such a child," Kaiba muttered. Yugi turned his sleepy violet eyes toward his boyfriend, who was unsurprised when the little shit stuck his tongue out in response.

Making sure they had everything before they left, Kaiba walked them to the front door, draping Yugi's coat over his shoulders since he couldn't loosen his grip on Atem's neck to put it on himself. He also had to hold Atem's coat, since he needed both hands to support Yugi.

"Do I get to say goodnight?" Yugi's drowsy question brought the memory of their first kiss to mind. Would Atem allow that type of thing, now that he was there to bear witness? (He seemed a bit possessive, and Kaiba didn't blame him.)

"Goodnight," Kaiba replied, holding open the door for them both.

"You know what I mean," Yugi huffed, unamused.

"Go ahead," Atem chuckled, hoisting his precious cargo a little higher, getting a better grip on his thighs.

Well, that answered that. With cautious footsteps, Kaiba approached. When he did not receive a warning from Atem, he leaned forward, capturing Yugi's eager lips. 

They stayed like that for a long, lazy moment, lips gliding languidly over the other, Kaiba towering over them both with one hand planted firmly over Yugi's shoulder, the other coming up to cup his cheek.

Kaiba felt the warm press of a different set of lips beneath his chin. A sharp hiss escaped as he broke the kiss, Yugi humming in disappointment in his ear. He didn't have to look far for the culprit. 

Atem stood achingly close, standing on tiptoe and piercing him with those deep, wine red eyes. 

"May I?" The murmured question was followed by another stray kiss, this time to the hand still cupping Yugi's cheek.

"You just did," he quipped, Yugi's amused giggle swirling the embers of desire in his gut.

Kaiba did not give the man a chance to reply. Switching his attention from one half of the King of Games to the other, his lips crashed onto Atem's with the force of a hurricane. Unlike his previous kisses with Yugi, which were either disgustingly sweet, or playful and heated, Atem's were filled with unrestrained passion.

Yugi had to tap them both on the back of the neck to break them apart, their heavy breathing filling the intimate space between them.

"Well, now that you boys are finished," Yugi quipped, a coy smile curling at his lips. "I'm kinda sleepy."

Kaiba reluctantly straightened, taking his hand from the door and taking a step back so he was out of their personal space. 

"My apologies," Atem murmured, squeezing the thighs wrapped around his waist. 

"See you tomorrow, boss man." Yugi tossed him a half-assed salute, Atem chuckling as he turned to leave.

"Mh, tomorrow," Kaiba replied, leaning against the front doorway, arms crossed loosely against his chest, the picture of nonchalance.

Yugi suddenly issued a startled cry, wriggling in Atem's grasp until the man turned back around.

"Tomorrow's Valentine's Day," he called back up the drive. "What do you want?"

Kaiba shrugged; the day had never meant anything to him. His fanclub always resolved to fill his mailbox with chocolate - both home made and expensive gourmet - which he either gave to Mokuba, or donated to a local children's home. 

"I don't want anything." He'd waited until the two came a bit closer before responding.

"Can we at least, I dunno, _do_ something, then?"

For once, it didn't sound like an innuendo, so Kaiba supposed he could safely answer Yugi's question.

"Fine, but _after_ work," he relented.

Yugi's answering smile was soft and sweet, a gentle curling of his lips that he smothered into Atem's neck.

"We will need to prepare something before we return, but I'm sure one of us will let you know when we are ready." Despite the hour, Atem did not seem eager for sleep; on the contrary, he was gazing up at the young CEO as though he wanted nothing more than to stay.

"Tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow," Yugi and Atem agreed in unison, which brought another bout of giggles from Yugi. (Did he just find everything funny when he was sleepy?)

Kaiba stood there in the doorway until Atem deposited his boyfriend in the front passenger seat and got into the driver's side of the car, shifting gears and driving down the dark, lamp lit drive into the night. Shutting the door, he returned upstairs to get ready for bed.

That was the first night Kaiba didn't dream of his past, but rather his future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by a show of hands, who is more thirsty?
> 
> mery-i = ancient egyptian(?) for beloved


	4. Day Three: Blue Eyes Shining Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romance was never Kaiba's strong suit. One's inner demons can often hold you back from what you want the very most. If you're not careful, they can end up consuming you.
> 
> Or, you can just say fuck 'em and plunge right in, consequences be damned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, day three is Finally here, coinciding with the v-day special in duel squad. This took quite the effort. It wasn't until well after dark that I hit my stride and finally picked this back up. This is the longest chapter yet, and I'm definitely dead now. Goodbye cruel world.....
> 
> I kept debating with myself on how far to take things, but it didn't make sense to go all out so soon. I may be ace, but I have no problem reading or writing smutty adventures, as long as it's relevant to the plot.
> 
> I'd like to think of this as slow burn hell, but it's more like a mid-paced simmering tango. 
> 
> Thank you so much for all your kind words, it makes me happy knowing my work can make others happy, too.
> 
> With that said, please enjoy! <3

Kaiba's dreams were disjointed and hazy; tossing fitfully in his sleep, he awoke several times with the feeling he'd been running away from something. After waking from a particularly vivid dream where he'd finally managed to win his second duel against Atem (he didn't really count his first in Duelist Kingdom a _victory_ so much as a _necessity_ ). He found a way around the man's expert defenses, bringing the gods to their knees before eliminating them entirely. 

To his chagrin, it didn't bring him a sense of satisfaction; rather, he felt troubled. Sitting up wearily, he gave up on chasing sleep and threw the covers off, getting out of bed and heading into the bathroom. The grey blue pre-dawn sky glimmered faintly through the window of his bedroom, but he ignored it in favor of splashing cold water on his face. 

Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he found tired sapphire eyes gazing back from beneath a furrowed brow, the dark circles that he normally held at bay were more pronounced than ever. No matter how many experts he saw, his dreams always returned to haunt him in one form or another. (They hadn't been this frustrating in a long time, and he had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with his current inner turmoil.)

Tonight, he'd been visited by hazy visions of Yugi and Atem, interspersed with other members of the geek squad. (Those had not been as clear, thankfully.) In one dream, he'd been kneeling at the front of a lavish golden throne, the Millennium Rod clutched in his hand, staring at a pair of tan, sandaled feet laced in gold.

In another, he'd watched as Yugi fell to his knees atop the castle parapet, tears in his eyes and hands clenched into fists. ( _Necessary_ , he reminded himself. It had all been for Mokuba's sake, but the sight still caused something to twist in his gut.)

In still another, the most vivid he could recall, Kaiba had been lying in his bed, warm and at peace with the world. Two bodies curled around him on either side. Atem, his hair in a side braid and book in hand, had his head draped across Kaiba's shoulder, their fingers brushing gently every now and again. On his other side, Yugi lay in Kaiba's lap, engrossed in a handheld video game, the soft sounds of slashing and the warrior like grunts told him what kind of game his boyfriend was playing. 

He'd been casually carding his fingers through Yugi's bangs as he played, the gleam of twilight outside his window fading slowly into darkness. It was admittedly one of the more pleasant dreams he'd had, as short as it was. Kaiba had been staring down at his phone, the near silence welcoming rather than irritating.

Now, hands clenched on the edge of the bathroom sink, knuckles white, Kaiba was finding it difficult to dispel the images. Past and Future warred within his mind. What he wanted versus what he thought he needed. It didn't help his mood any.

After a quick shower (where he did _not_ think about the easy warmth two bodies provided against his own), Kaiba took his phone from the charger and calmly dressed, knotting his tie with mechanical ease. (Today was a blue suit type of day.) He might as well head into work early today; the Kaiba Corp. building often played host to an excessive amount of women, and no matter how security handled them, they always came back every year on the same day.

He didn't so much tolerate the women who still idolized him from his dueling days so much as he wished they would lay off. The CEO idly wondered how many of them would still stick around once they found out he was gay, but banished the thought immediately. As far as he was concerned, his love life (however strange it currently was) was no one's business but his own and who he chose to spend his time with.

The sun was just beginning to rise by the time he made it downstairs, briefcase in hand. It was still too early to wake Mokuba (and he knew his brother wouldn't thank him for it anyway), so he would leave it to Isono to make sure his brother got up and got to school on time. 

Half an hour later, he strode through the front doors of Kaiba Corp., which was blessedly empty save for the woman at the front desk and the lone security guard standing by the elevators. Giving them both a terse nod, he made his way to his own private elevator, producing a key card only two other people had copies of: Mokuba and Isono.

A short elevator ride later found him stepping into his office, the sun's first rays spreading slowly over the cityscape. The view was spectacular this morning, but he was used it by now. Turning his back on the grand window, Kaiba sat at his desk, setting his briefcase down among the usual clutter, and began his work day earlier than usual.

Before 8am, he requested extra security detail in the lobby - just in case. All packages to and from the building were to be monitored, especially ones meant for his hands specifically. He needn't have bothered, nothing more irritating happened than an overabundance of gifts showing up over the course of the day. Still, it was the principle of the act that mattered.

Yugi did not text him, or show up in his office for lunch. He wasn't worried; the pipsqueak (the pipsqueak he's _dating_ ) knew better than to bother him too often, and would come if Kaiba called for him. Remembering the sense of warmth he'd felt from his dreams, he pushed all thoughts of his boyfriends from his mind, launching himself into his work. 

He felt unusually cold, despite being dressed warmly. He fiddled with the room's climate control at one point, but no matter what he did, he could not get comfortable. Gritting his teeth, he got through the rest of the work day, shoving his emotions into a box and letting muscle memory take over.

He didn't want to _think_ or _feel_ , he just wanted to _do_. After Isono picked Mokuba up from school, his brother arrived to take care of his portion of business in the company. Kaiba spent the rest of the afternoon working diligently, his brother sitting on one of the couches, homework spread out on the table in front of him. They spoke little, and once or twice, Mokuba tossed him a worried look, which he ignored.

He was _fine_ , he didn't need anyone fussing over him like he was some weakling who needed coddling just to get by. Maybe a good work out in the exercise room at home would do him some good. 

It was not until the work day ended that Kaiba felt some sense of calm return to him. Mokuba had finished his homework, his desk was mostly clear, and after a quick call to security to make sure no one lingered in the lobby who shouldn't be there, he and the younger Kaiba set off downstairs.

The silvery tinkle of a wind chime sounded from his jacket pocket on the elevator ride down to the lobby. (A sound he associated with Yugi's childlike laughter, he'd set the noise to alert him of a text from their private chat.) Fishing his phone from the inside pocket, Kaiba took a peek at the message there.

KuriBoi: hey boss jw if i could ask you smth before you left

He'd all but forgotten his previous plans for today, so that's probably what the text was about. Waving off Mokuba's raised eyebrow, he responded, the elevator doors opening with a whisper of sound.

WhiteDragBoi: I'm heading out now, what is it?

Briskly striding through the polished lobby, Mokuba on his tail, he paused by the front door, waiting for Isono to bring the car around.

KuriBoi: ok well temu an i gotta head back to the game shop before we drop by ur place is that cool??

It was just after six, the sun dipping toward the horizon in between the buildings and casting lengthy shadows over the pavement.

WhiteDragBoi: Fine.

He still wasn't quite in the mood to deal with the Box of Emotions, so he kept his responses short and to the point. If Yugi noticed, he chose not to comment.

KuriBoi: thx!! what times dinner??  
WhiteDragBoi: 7:30  
KuriBoi: ok good we got time  
KuriBoi: see u in a bit!!

As he got into the back seat of the waiting car, Kaiba swore he saw the red tail lights and distinctive license plate of Atem's old car turning the corner at the light. 

"Hey, isn't that...?" Mokuba trailed off, staring out of his window, evidently having seen the same thing his brother had.

"Probably just picked Yugi up."

Mokuba spoke little after that, choosing to wait until they got home before springing his next question on the unsuspecting CEO.

"Nii-sama, are you okay? You look kinda tired."

Kaiba shrugged out of his suit jacket and loosened the knot on his tie before he replied.

"I'm fine," he ground out, stepping out of his shoes, carrying them and his jacket upstairs.

Not to be deterred, Mokuba stuck to his shadow, standing in the doorway to his brother's room while Kaiba himself went about his routine.

"Is it about losing again? You know they don't do it to make you angry."

He knew the truth of the statement before it had even finished leaving his brother's mouth. Yugi and Atem were fiercely competitive, but neither held their victories, shared or otherwise, over Kaiba's head. (As far as he knew, anyway. He didn't know what they talked about when they were alone.)

"It's not that."

"Then what is it? Don't tell me you've been overworking yourself again." Mokuba frowned, gazing worriedly up at his older brother as he watched Kaiba walk around the room.

"Just trouble sleeping, that's all." Kaiba sighed, coming to stand in front of Mokuba. His little brother was blocking the door, and he wanted to go let off steam before dinner.

"Oh, Seto.." Mokuba sighed, gently embracing his older brother around the waist. His reach was limited, despite growing at least two more feet once puberty had hit. 

Kaiba returned the hug, sweeping his fingers through his brother's midnight blue locks. He was a lucky man despite all the hardships he had endured over the course of his young life. He had turned his father's military weapons company into a gaming company, he made more than most people could ever dream of having in their lives, and he had three people (he was reluctantly including Yugi and Atem in this) who cared about him in some capacity. He really couldn't ask for anything more than that.

"I'll be fine, Mokuba," he murmured, voice calm and reassuring rather than retaining its usual frostiness.

"If you say so." After another minute, Mokuba released him, stepping back and smiling. "Hey," he continued, stepping aside to let his brother pass, following in his wake. "who was texting you earlier? I haven't heard that ringtone yet."

His brother's curiosity knew no bounds. Having changed into an old pair of sweats, Kaiba made his way down to the gym for a bit of a work out before dinner.

"Just Yugi." Kaiba decided a bit of cardio would do him some good, so he mounted the standing bicycle in the corner, setting his phone to play music at background volume before stuffing it in his pocket.

"Did he want a rematch?" Mokuba continued smiling, kicking his feet back and forth from his place on a chair nearby.

"No, he and the Pharaoh are coming over for dinner," Kaiba replied with the air of getting something painful out of the way quickly.

He did not look over at his brother's astonished expression, or at the unmistakable smirk working its way across his face.

"You're kidding! Is it for business this time?" Mokuba leaned forward eagerly, blue grey eyes sparkling. "Or for pleasure?"

Kaiba snorted so loudly he was surprised the butler couldn't hear him from the floor below.

"Save your insinuations, imp." 

Mokuba's amused laughter filled the space, adding to the low, pounding rock music playing from his phone. (He needed something with a beat to work out to, regardless of what it was. If it got him up and moving, that's all he cared about. He kept the shitty pop music to a minimum, though.)

"Oh, come on, Seto! I'm not stupid. Atem is your rival, and Yugi works for you now." At Kaiba's raised eyebrow, Mokuba plunged onward. "You guys are like three Kuribohs in a pod. I'd be worried if you _didn't_ at least see something in one of them that you liked."

The only ones who knew about his sexuality were Mokuba and the geek squad - only because he didn't give a shit about their opinion in the first place, and Yugi had made a lucky guess a year after the Pharaoh's return from the Afterlife. (He was still lost on _those_ details, and he didn't want to think about it too much anyway. The less magical bullshit he had to deal with, the better.)

"What about both?" The question was posed as a challenge, and he braced himself for the answer.

"Well," Mokuba began, hesitant to say anything that would upset his brother. "that's your business, not mine."

Kaiba nodded stiffly, moving over to the punching bag in the corner after ten minutes.

"Do you, though?" the younger Kaiba asked, handing his brother a towel once he'd worked up a decent sweat. "Like them both, I mean."

Eyeing his brother critically from under the proffered towel as he ruffled it through his hair, Kaiba thought about ignoring the question entirely. Then again, silence sometimes spoke louder than words.

Giving a stiff nod, he strode from the room, intending to wash up before dinner. Mokuba hummed thoughtfully, tagging along until they came to his bedroom.

"Well, good luck, Nii-sama. You deserve to be happy." With a parting smile that Kaiba could find as nothing but sincere, Mokuba retreated to his own room across the hall.

Before Kaiba could do more than shake his head and smile, the doorbell rang, cutting an end to any further train of thought. He'd let the butler take care of answering the door. He at least needed to wash his hands before greeting his guests ( _boyfriends_ ).

Two minutes later, he descended the stairs, shirtless, the towel hung around his neck and eyes glued to his phone. A piercing wolf whistle sounded, startling him from his task. From his place at the foot of the stairs, he had no trouble finding the source of the noise.

Perched on the sitting room couch, legs crossed and looking regal as ever, sat Atem, wearing the usual leather and gold jewelry he associated with the man. Next to him sat Yugi, wearing a black tank top and jeans with silver studded leather accessories, both of their hair styled in neat, slicked back ponytails.

"Helloooooo, nurse~!" Yugi called, a grin lighting up his features.

With a soft snort, Kaiba entered the sitting room - all white, black, and blue with dark paneled wood floors - coming to a stop a few feet in front of them.

"Good evening, Kaiba," Atem greeted, unphased by his appearance. Two backpacks rested by their feet, probably holding more than just their decks.

"You're early," was the terse reply, having checked the time on his phone just moments prior.

"Yeah, we got ready pretty quickly." Yugi was still grinning up at him, though he refrained from making anymore weird comments.

"I hope we are not interrupting?" Atem gestured to his lack of proper clothing, finally acknowledging it.

"You're not."

Despite the sweat he'd worked up, Kaiba still felt too _cold_ for his liking. Surprisingly, the feeling did not abate with the arrival of Yugi and Atem, which did nothing to coax him into a better mood like he'd first thought.

"That's good," Yugi piped up, still refusing to take his eyes off his boyfriend. "Is dinner soon? I'm starving."

Kaiba had the funny feeling he meant more than just for food. Lips twitching, fighting a smirk, he motioned to the kitchen with a jerk of his chin.

"Should be, why don't you go ask?"

Yugi shook his head, the mischievous gleam finally leaving his eyes, replaced with a burning intensity that did precious little to dispel the cold.

At that moment, the butler arrived, announcing that dinner was ready. Assuring them that he'd be along shortly after fetching Mokuba, Kaiba shunted the two off to the dining room. He took the time to shrug on a shirt and toss the damp towel in the hamper before knocking on his little brother's bedroom door.

"Mokuba, dinner." 

The call was answered almost immediately. The door swung open, revealing a Mokuba dressed in his pajamas (white with little Blue Eyes dotting the fabric, he was so proud), who smiled as he followed his brother downstairs. 

Reaching the dining room, they found Yugi and Atem already seated, holding a murmured conversation that stopped as soon as they noticed they were no longer alone.

"Oh, hi guys!" Mokuba greeted them as though he had not realized they were coming, taking his usual place in the seat to Kaiba's right at the head of the table.

"Hello, Mokuba," Atem replied warmly, focusing his attention on the siblings.

"Hey, squirt," Yugi greeted easily from across the table. "Sorry to intrude, Kaiba said it would be okay."

"No biggie, you know you guys are welcome here any time."

Dinner consisted of an excellently prepared roast on a bed of rice and vegetables. At one point, someone brought out a bottle of wine. ("The occasion calls for it, does it not?" Atem had commented midway through dinner, lips twitching as though fighting a smirk.) Mokuba was relegated to a cup of tea, but he didn't complain, casting curious looks over the three of them every time he thought they weren't looking.

When dessert was brought out, Kaiba raised a brow as a pound cake in the shape and colors of the Blue Eyes White Dragon was set between them. Yugi was grinning brightly, serving them each a slice, that mischievous gleam in his eyes returning with a vengeance. Only half a bottle of wine and two thirds of the cake remained at the end of the meal. 

"Please give my compliments to the chef, that was quite delicious." Atem was swirling the dregs of his wine around his glass idly, gazing at the head of the table, eyes of nearly the same color watching him with a quiet kind of intensity that Yugi lacked.

"They didn't say what we were having, but I'll pass it on." Mokuba was scooping the last of his slice of pound cake into his mouth, setting his fork down and eyeing the three of them expectantly.

"Which one of you was responsible for the cake?" Kaiba flicked his gaze from one tri-colored ponytail to the next. He already had his suspicions, he just wanted it said aloud.

"Guilty as charged!" Yugi chirped, toasting Kaiba with the last of his wine.

He thought that might have been the case, and he wasn't at all surprised to find out he was right.

"Well, we _both_ had a hand in making it," Atem amended, swallowing the final drops of wine from his glass. "but it was Yugi's idea initially."

"You _made_ that?!" Mokuba looked incredulously from Atem to Yugi and back again, mouth hanging open.

"Yup! We thought you guys might like it." Yugi leaned forward, a hopeful smile lacing his features. "You did like it, right?" he continued, looking from one Kaiba to the next.

"Hell yeah!" Mokuba exclaimed, reaching across the table to exchange fistbumps. 

Kaiba nodded, eyeing the rest of the cake. The wine had done little to warm him, though he was feeling a pleasant buzz flow through him now. He didn't understand the source of his continued discomfort, and resolved to go to bed earlier tonight if at all possible.

"Good, then we shall see about making another for the next occasion." Atem and Yugi exchanged a knowing look, which Mokuba seemed to find amusing.

"So, now what?" the younger Kaiba asked, looking from his brother to both rivals with interest.

"Well, since we're both here, why not a couple tag team duels?" 

Yugi's suggestion was met with an enthusiastic nod, and five minutes later (Atem stalling behind to retrieve their decks) they were all sitting in the game room upstairs, facing each other across a long table.

A couple of tag team duels turned out to be quite the distraction; Kaiba relished the activity, as it gave him no time to dwell on the cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. He threw himself into the game, dueling ruthlessly as usual regardless of who he was paired against. (At one point, it was Yugi and Mokuba paired against Kaiba and Atem. The duel was close, but in the end, Kaiba and Atem remained victorious, though not without sustaining their own heavy losses in the process.)

Yugi and Mokuba took the loss in good grace, and fifteen minutes later, departed for bed, wishing the three of them goodnight. (Tossing his older brother a wink before closing the door almost made Kaiba regret the decision in revealing his interest.)

Ten o'clock found the trio downstairs in the sitting room once more, lounging on opposite couches and just enjoying each other's company. They were chatting quietly, waiting for the staff on duty to leave, when all three of their phones chimed, each emitting a unique tone. (Kaiba's rain, Yugi's skating anime theme, and Atem's j-rock tune all chimed together in a strange melody that broke the quiet atmosphere.)

"Okay, before we see what's up, I wanna ask a favor." On the verge of taking out his phone, Kaiba nodded for him to continue, remaining cautious. With a glance at Atem, Yugi forged onward, leaning forward and locking eyes. "We have a sort of.. surprise for you."

"What." Kaiba blinked, caught off guard. 

Yugi opened his mouth to continue but paused to put his phone on vibrate.

"It requires borrowing one of your rooms." Atem took up the thread of conversation, a hesitant note to his voice.

Ignoring the group chat alerts for now, Kaiba eyed them both suspiciously, legs crossed, an ankle casually resting on one knee.

"What kind of _surprise_." 

Yugi and Atem exchanged another look before turning back. It was Yugi who spoke.

"Well, nothing big. Since it's Valentine's Day and all.." he trailed off and Atem finished his sentence for him. (How _disgustingly_ predictable.)

"We thought that since you're a rather hard person to shop for, we would make something for you instead." 

That explained the Blue Eyes cake, which he _had_ thoroughly enjoyed.

"What does that have to do with borrowing a room?"

Atem tapped his fingers on a leather-clad knee for a moment before continuing.

"We would just like a chance to.. show you something." He sighed, sweeping a hand through his golden fringe and tossing a helpless look Yugi's way. Taking pity on his boyfriend, Yugi nodded.

"Since we've been taking this relationship thing kinda slow, we wanted to.. well," he hesitated, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "we wanted to know if you'd be up for a little more tonight."

"More." Kaiba repeated dully, phone vibrating in his hand.

"Yes, but only if you wish it." Atem's calm baritone finally stirred something within him, as though he had simply been asleep and biding his time for the right moment to awaken.

With a sigh, Yugi began typing away on his phone. Swallowing thickly, Kaiba took a moment to peek into his Box of Emotions, head dipping to stare blankly down at the screen of his phone.

KuriBoi: children, pls behave mama is busy  
xBoiKeeperx: why can't you wait until tomorrow, anzu? :o  
PeachSunrise: v day  
HarpyQueen: technically, we just had ours  
DiceBoi: oh yeah, timezones are a Thing

Of course that would be the first topic on the list in the group chat, and the whole reason he was now faced with the prospect of spending an _intimate_ evening alone with two men, both of whom he just so happened to be dating. (Sort of. They hadn't done much so far.)

Silence reigned, and none of them seemed keen on breaking it any time soon, choosing to escape to the group chat for the time being.

BlackDragBoi: wyd yug  
KuriBoi: busy  
xBoiKeeperx: busy ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
SpookyBoi: You already made that joke, Marik.  
xBoiKeeperx: yeah, but it's still funny  
WhiteDragBoi: No, it isn't.  
KingofGames: Yugi and I are playing a video game tournament, Jou.  
DiceBoi: surprised you haven't changed back yet, Kaiba  
WhiteDragBoi: I'm busy.  
BlackDragBoi: wtf why is everyone busy  
PeachSunrise: busy bois  
HarpyQueen: all work and no play make for dull bois :<>  
BikeBoi: that would explain kaiba  
KuriBoi: lmfao don't snatch him like that

(There Yugi goes again, defending him like it was just a normal day. He was familiar with the slang, mouth twisting into a wry smile at the response.)

It was obviously a lie, and a weak one at that. The geeks seemed to buy it, much to Kaiba's amusement.

xBoiKeeperx: what did you guys do for vday? ;o  
BlackDragBoi: the usual  
SpookyBoi: Summoned a demon for breakfast, held a seance for lunch, and took a blood bath after a romantic candlelit dinner.

(A muffled snort escaped before Kaiba could stop it. Yugi looked up hopefully from his phone, but quickly ducked his head again.)

BikeBoi: hardcore af  
BlackDragBoi: we watched a scary movie and made out  
SpookyBoi: Jou screamed a lot, mostly.  
BlackDragBoi: listen, i didn't come out here to be attacked  
KuriBoi: ryous upstaging u in the dramatics dept  
BlackDragBoi: i taught him well <3  
WhiteDragBoi: Gross.

When Mai asked what he'd done for the day, Kaiba fed her the first lie he could think of. Mazaki seemed skeptical, but didn't call him out on it. Ishtar's curiosity knew no bounds, and when he asked Atem about his own valentine experience, he could do nothing but tell the truth. Apparently, he didn't like the thought of lying.

Yugi mentioned making Atem a load of crappy handmade valentine cards, which caused the man in question to shake his head with a smile, gilded fringe dancing in the low light. (He _would_ be sentimental enough to save them all, too.) 

Pissing off Jounouchi took a backseat, though calling him out for the weak insult did not. 

BikeBoi: send kaiba one while ur at it yugi  
KuriBoi: nah i like my job  
KuriBoi: i also like living

Kaiba was secretly grateful for the refusal, but that also brought to mind the question he had yet to answer.

Swiping a hand down his face and setting his phone in his lap, Kaiba glanced from one boyfriend to the other before he finally spoke.

"Fine," he relented, the cold feeling in his gut stirring once more.

Yugi and Atem both looked up, curiously examining him.

"You sure?" Yugi asked, head tilted to regard him carefully.

"Yes." Kaiba left the Box of Emotions ajar in the hopes that he could quietly sift through them sooner rather than later.

Beaming, the shorter King of Games bounded to his feet. Holding his hand out to Atem, who grabbed it without hesitation, he led his other half across the table to where Kaiba still sat, stiff and unmoving. Sensing an affectionate advance was probably not the best course of action, Yugi's smile dipped somewhat before regaining its former brilliance.

"Okay, um," Yugi cast his eyes nervously about the room, as though looking for a topic of conversation.

"Here, _habibi_. Give him room to breathe," Atem chuckled, shouldering one of the bags they'd brought with them. (If he just called Yugi what he _think_ he did, Kaiba was going to combust, and not in the way he fancied.)

"Okay, okay. Um, which one is your bathroom?"

That's not the room he expected to be asked about. After telling them which one was his (the Master bathroom, _obviously_ ) they shot off up the stairs, bags slung over their shoulders. (Atem went back to the kitchens, returning with a covered dish and the other half of the bottle of wine, tossing Kaiba a wink as he passed.)

Kaiba remained sitting on the couch, perusing the group chat while the other two were off doing.. whatever the fuck they were doing in his bathroom.

WhiteDragBoi: This is ridiculous.  
DiceBoi: nah, this is normal  
WhiteDragBoi: In what universe is this normal.  
xBoiKeeperx: alternate universe....  
PeachSunrise: are you reading fic again, marik?  
xBoiKeeperx: on vday? absolutely 8D  
xBoiKeeperx: you want recs, anzu?  
PeachSunrise: sure, why not  
BlackDragBoi: links pls

Apparently, whatever they were doing did not keep them from responding, and as he heard no suspicious noises from above, he had no idea _what_ they were up to. (If anything broke in their bid to _surprise_ him, he was going to have tiny, ruthless dragon hatchlings.)

KuriBoi: i'm going to bed, have fun reading weird sex  
BikeBoi: take me w/ you, i don't wanna be subjected to this..  
DiceBoi: too late, my dude  
BikeBoi: fml  
KingofGames: Good night, everyone.

Well, now that the conversation seemed to be over, Kaiba had nothing to do. As if on cue, a wind chime tinkled, signalling a reply from their private chat.

To: This Is Where We Talk About Our Feelings

KuriBoi: hang on, we need a change

KuriBoi has changed the name of the conversation to "duel darlings™"

WhiteDragBoi: No.

Yeah, he was so _not_ having that right now. If Yugi was going to be insufferably cute, he at least wanted to be witness to it in his own house (mostly so he could bitch about it).

KuriBoi: shut up, its cute  
KingofGames: As are you.  
KuriBoi: blushu ꒰✪ૢꇵ✪ૢ꒱ෆ⃛  
WhiteDragBoi: I'm going to vomit.

That seemed to be his default reaction to cuteness of any kind from his boyfriend. The only exposure he had to that sort of thing was Mokuba, and he was more of a little shit than anything else these days. (It was thought lovingly, of course.)

KuriBoi: even after we finish our surprise?  
WhiteDragBoi: Probably.  
KingofGames: I think you will like this, Kaiba.  
WhiteDragBoi: That remains to be seen.

A few minutes passed with no response; he was growing restless, burning with curiosity at what they were currently doing in his bathroom. Finally fed up with waiting, he shot off another reply.

WhiteDragBoi: Am I allowed upstairs in my own house now.  
KuriBoi: give us another minute

Fine, he could do that much. Exactly sixty seconds later, he sent off another response.

WhiteDragBoi: Tick, tock.  
KingofGames: Quite the impatient one tonight, hm?

That was pretty obvious, although he would be the first to admit he was being a dick, it was just common practice for him. (Old habits die hard, and all that.) Another moment goes by before the next text bubble pops up.

KingofGames: I think we are about ready.  
KuriBoi: ugh ok just promise not to kill us  
WhiteDragBoi: I promise nothing.  
KuriBoi: at least don't fire me  
WhiteDragBoi: Fine.  
KuriBoi: #victory

Even Kaiba doubted he would fire Yugi if something happened to his bathroom. Nothing less than putting a gun to his head would make him admit how useful Yugi was to have around the office. He was witty, his opinions weren't a steaming pile of shit (some of the time), and he got along with just about everyone he worked with. No one ever complained about him being there; the other game testers he had on payroll found it an honor to work beside one half of the King of Games. Long story short, he was stuck with the pipsqueak for the long run, even if this relationship didn't work out.

When no reply seemed forthcoming after another minute, Kaiba stood, tucking his phone in the pocket of his sweat pants and slowly climbed the stairs. His imagination ran wild with possibilities, but he was pretty certain the dweebs would not be found _cleaning_ the place. (He had the manor staff for that sort of thing. They were paid well, too.)

When he reached the landing, Kaiba strode purposefully down the hall and turned a corner. There, down at the very back of the hall, his bedroom door stood ajar. Slipping inside, he closed it all the way behind him with a sharp click. The voices coming from the open bathroom door stopped at his entrance.

"Kaiba?" Yugi called, the gentle sound of water lapping against the tub following his words.

The bathroom lights were off, shrouding his bedroom in darkness. Soft light flickered, and Kaiba smelled the faint odor of roses. Had they lit _candles_? God, this was going to be a long night.

"In here, Kaiba," Atem called. (Really, where _else_ would they be?)

Fishing his phone from his pocket and setting it to charge, Kaiba took a deep breath and entered the master bathroom. Shadows danced and writhed on the white tiled walls. The large mirror over the sink reflected the scene in front of him; two bouquets of blue and white roses sat on the counter. Individual rose petals littered the floor in front of the tub, or floated serenely in the large, sud-filled bath. 

Candlelight cast everything in a dim sort of half light, revealing the two figures hidden among the bubbles and petals. Yugi and Atem sat in the pool-like jacuzzi tub, blinking up at him expectantly.

" _Seriously_?" Kaiba muttered, staying well outside splashing distance, leaning his hip against the sink counter and staring down at both men, half amused, half exasperated.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Yugi crowed, beaming up at him from over a particularly large mound of bubbles.

Both had taken down their hair, which hung loosely about their shoulders. Atem's flowed down to settle in the water about his collar bones. (They were also _very_ naked, but that was kind of obvious, given the setting.)

"Surprise?" Atem murmured half-heartedly, nudging a blue rose petal about in the water, glancing up at him through his long lashes. (He knew a few women who would kill for lashes like those.)

A large platter of grapes sat at the back corner of the tub, surrounded by blue and white candles in glass containers; the half finished bottle of wine chilled in a bucket of ice, three glasses sitting in the opposite corner. There was no music, but he thought it might have been a bit much, so he was glad of the near silence. 

"Want to hop in? The water's nice."

The wine from dinner had done little to remedy the chill that had seeped into his bones, but staring down into the frothy water, into Yugi's hopeful violet eyes, rekindled the warmth he recalled from his dream-like vision. There was only one problem.

Seto Kaiba's toned body carried more scars than your average man. Some he retained from his dueling days, when he had been just a little bit reckless in a bid to achieve his goals; others were of a more personal nature. Fingernails bit into his palms, leaving reddened crescent marks in the flesh as his hands squeezed into tight fists at his sides.

He could practically _feel_ the shock collar around his neck, the cuffs at his wrists and ankles, the sting of the belt as it cracked like a whip down on his back. Bowing his head, the sharp bangs obscuring his eyes from view, Kaiba _seethed_ for a full thirty seconds, shuddering slightly where he stood.

"Kaiba?" Atem's rich baritone, full of concern, reached his ears, seemingly from far away.

His voice seemed to break the spell. Inhaling a deep, shuddering breath, Kaiba slowly loosened the hands at his sides, unfurling long fingers and lifting his chin defiantly. 

"You saw them, didn't you?" He was proud of the fact that his voice didn't waver. At both men's confused looks, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. Of course he'd been that stupid, going downstairs without a shirt. He'd been so distracted by his own thoughts, it hadn't even registered at the time.

Instead of repeating the question, Kaiba whirled around, pulling his shirt off by the neck and exposing his broad, muscular back to the soft candlelight. He stood there for a moment, scowling into the mirror, daring either of them to comment.

"Yeah, we saw," said Yugi quietly, coming to rest his arms on the edge of the tub, gazing calmly back at the CEO through the mirror's reflection. "Didn't say anything because it doesn't matter."

"Excuse me?" Whipping off his shirt completely and let it drop to floor at his feet, he spun to face Yugi, fighting to keep his voice low and controlled.

Instead of answering, Yugi braced himself on the edge of the tub and stood, arms falling to his sides and dripping soapy water. Kaiba followed the path of the water, over every dip and taut line until it dripped back into the water rippling around his calves. Tiny scratches, some years old, were scattered over Yugi's body like constellations in a pale sky. 

Kaiba's ire slowly receded as he continued to stare. Yugi did not waver, unabashed and seemingly composed as the simmering sapphire eyes roamed his form. 

"What happened?" Kaiba found himself asking after a few moments of silence had stretched to fill the empty space between them.

"Bullies from high school, mostly." Yugi shrugged, unconcerned. "Others are from our dueling days. But, like you always say," he forged on, heedless of the indignant flicker that had crossed the CEO's expression. "the past should stay buried where it is."

"Something like that." Taking a step forward so that he stood toe to toe with the edge of the tub, Kaiba locked eyes with the man in front of him, who began to shiver in the cool air of the room. He had to admit, there was a point to Yugi's logic; he wasn't the only one who bore the scars of his less than savory past. He had shouldered his silently for over a decade, not even letting Mokuba know the full extent of his pain. His little brother had seen the scars, of course, but the elder Kaiba refused to tell him the whole story.

"Perhaps we understand you better than you think." Atem, still sitting in the back corner of the tub by the platter of grapes, extended a hand, offering it to him. 

Kaiba had two choices. One, he could walk out of the bathroom and not look back, shouldering another burden of guilt. Two, he could attempt to enjoy the effort his boyfriends had put into the evening and just let go of everything for at least one night. (Who knows, it could lead to _other_ things, but he would cross that bridge when they got there.)

He chose the second option. Reaching for the string that held his sweatpants up, he made to yank on one end and loosen it, only to find it blocked by a smaller, thoroughly soaked hand.

"Let me?" Yugi whispered, giving his hand a squeeze. The suds had nearly all fallen away with the water, revealing far more skin than Kaiba had ever hoped to see.

Swallowing back a retort, he gave a stiff nod, his eyes finding Atem's in the flickering half light thrown off by the candles on the counter. Yugi gave his sweats a hardy tug, Kaiba's chest nearly colliding with the man's nose. Humming tunelessly and ignoring the indignant huff from over his head, he made short work of the pants, slipping his fingers into the waistband and tugging them down slowly, never breaking eye contact.

His underwear went with them to pool around the floor at his feet. Tugging gently on his hand, Yugi stepped back and sank into the water, bringing Kaiba with him once he'd stepped over the edge. The tub was plenty big enough to accommodate all three of them, so they had no problem finding enough leg room to work with.

"Well, this is nice," Yugi quipped once they had settled, he and Atem on the far side with Kaiba facing them.

"If you splash me, I'm drowning you," Kaiba warned, though his glare held no malice behind it.

Yugi shook his head, tiny droplets slinging everywhere, silvery laughter filling the tiny space.

"Is splashing really a drownable offense?" Atem asked lightly, snagging a red grape and popping it into his mouth.

"Yes." He eyed the two of them carefully; the only one he expected that type of behavior from was Yugi, but he seemed content enough to keep his head above water for now.

"Well, now that we've settled that," his eyes flicked over to Yugi, who was currently rearranging the bubbles and rose petals into random patterns, "are you up for some romance?"

 _Romance._ Right. He'd once said that he didn't romance anyone who wasn't worth his time. Did that also apply the other way around? The real question was if he was willing to try to begin with. ( _Trying_ seemed to be the whole theme of this arrangement.)

"If you think you can handle it."

Yugi snorted softly, and Atem's smirk could be seen from the shadows. 

"Romance it is, then." Yugi scooted closer, glancing at Atem briefly. The Pharaoh seemed completely at ease, popping another grape into his mouth.

"What would you like to try tonight?" Another grape made its way into Atem's mouth, and Kaiba found himself wishing he was close enough to snag one from him.

"Whatever is fine," he shrugged, adjusting his position so more of the water covered his torso.

"We can start with touching and go from there?" The suggestion came from Yugi, who had scooted close enough to touch and definitely close enough for him to playfully dunk the tri-colored head underwater. (He resisted the impulse, but only barely.)

By way of answer, Kaiba settled into a reclining position, arms on the edge of the tub behind him and his legs extended in front, one bent at the knee - a clear open invitation.

"I'm surprised you haven't jumped in my lap already." 

His sardonic tone caused a cheeky grin to worm its way onto Yugi's face.

"As much as I _do_ enjoy that lap of yours, I thought Atem should get first dibs."

The Egyptian in question slid closer, a portion of the grapes in one hand. 

"I know we just had dinner, but would you like a few?" he asked, wiggling a grape between his fingers. "They really are divine."

"He's got a thing for grapes," Yugi smirked. Atem cleared his throat, pointedly locking eyes with Kaiba.

Crooking a finger the Pharaoh's way, beckoning him forward imperiously, the CEO was surprised to find the suggestion obeyed, despite the indignant flicker in his eyes. 

"It's not a _thing_ , Yugi." he protested, scooting forward carefully until their legs brushed beneath the water. "It was simply one of those luxuries I enjoyed in my past life."

As amusing as their banter undoubtedly was, there was no way he was going to sit here all night and listen to it. Extending a hand, Kaiba plucked one of the grapes from Atem's hands, popping it in his mouth and chewing slowly before swallowing.

"You mentioned touching," he began, before Atem could open his mouth and object. "does that go both ways?"

"Would you like to touch?" Tilting his regal head, Atem regarded him thoughtfully.

Glancing from one King of Games to the other, Kaiba nudged his Box of Emotions. When he did not feel the urge to hurl or hit something, he took that to mean it was something he could stomach. 

"Yes."

The chill that had settled in him this morning, restless and insistent, was now a mere pinprick, barely registering in his mind. Instead of chasing sleep, he longed for the warmth of his dreams; if he played his cards right, he could get just that. Seto Kaiba _wanted_ , and so he took.

Staring down the Pharaoh, he motioned to his lap with a finger. Atem's lips twitched, but again he obeyed, sliding carefully into the CEO's lap. Achingly close, an inch or so away from touching skin, he did not make another move, simply popping another grape in his mouth from the dwindling pile in his hand.

Taking the hint, Kaiba let his hands explore the expanse of tanned flesh in front of him; running the pads of his fingers up and down the muscular arms (either he'd always been this ripped and he just hadn't noticed, or someone was working out), sliding his hands along the broad shoulders, fingers dancing slowly up the neck towards the chin. Atem swallowed and said nothing, tilting his head to give Kaiba better access. 

From his peripheral, Kaiba noticed Yugi eyeing him, violet eyes following the progress his hands took, all the while uttering not a word. Wondering at the lack of commentary, he paused in his exploration, one hand gently cupping a sculpted cheek, the other reaching to stroke Yugi's forearm.

"You're not getting out of this." Touching was all well and good, and Yugi didn't object, humming softly in answer rather than making a snarky comment. 

Atem turned his head enough to press a warm, wet kiss to the palm of his hand. Kaiba did not move, but his attention was diverted, right back to the man in his lap. He _wanted_ to feel the friction of skin sliding against his. (That might just be his arousal talking, though. It was certainly beginning to perk up, at any rate.)

"May I try something?" Atem murmured, wine red gaze locking with Kaiba's stern sapphire.

At this point, Kaiba probably wouldn't object to being sucked off in the tub, but he said nothing, only giving a nod as permission to go ahead. Glancing down at the empty space between their bodies, Atem gave a thoughtful hum, sliding forward, scattering bubbles and rose petals in his wake.

 _Finally_ , Kaiba thought, eyes falling shut as Atem's thighs slid against his own, settling himself in place as Yugi had done the day before, with his legs on either side of Kaiba's waist and leaning forward so their chests nearly touched. 

Settling the hand that was not still busy with Yugi on Atem's outer thigh, he let the Pharaoh do as he pleased, tilting his head back against the edge of the tub, a sharp intake of breath escaped as the hand not full of grapes came to rest on the faint scar around his neck.

"He was too cruel to one so young," Atem murmured, slowly withdrawing his hand to swirl the water about their waists, watching the blue and white rose petals dance and mingle with the receding bubbles.

Kaiba swallowed thickly but said nothing. Yugi took the opportunity to plant tiny, teeth-filled kisses along the scars at his wrist, up the inside of his arm and across his collarbones. Sliding an arm around his shoulders, Kaiba tugged Yugi from the water until they sat, eye to eye, blinking slowly, the sud-filled water barely concealing the dip of his waist from view. 

"You okay?" 

Yugi's whispered question prompted another nudge to the Box. (He was _fine_ , this was fine. _More_ than fine actually.) The hand now stroking the bubbles from his shoulder stopped, only to ghost down, feather light, to rest at the small of his back. Another gentle tug brought Yugi much closer, hovering hesitantly over Kaiba's upper thigh.

Finding himself being practically straddled by two men only caused the arousal to flare up stronger, thoughts of the earlier chill wiped away to be replaced by a simmering warmth that curled pleasantly in his gut. 

"Yes." 

The sound of chewing brought his attention back to the Pharaoh, who was again munching on another grape. The next time he raised the tiny fruit to pop into his mouth, Kaiba's lips encircled the berry, teeth gently skimming over Atem's thumb and forefinger before withdrawing, smirking around the grape in his mouth. 

Yugi made a noise between a snort and a laugh, and Atem simply stared as though unable to believe his treat had been stolen from him. 

"Uh-oh, Kaiba. You shouldn't challenge Atem like that."

Yugi's warning was met with a snort and a firm squeeze to Atem's waist. 

"There _is_ room for compromise," Atem replied, holding out another grape. "I could just feed them to you."

Now, _there_ was an idea. No one had ever offered to feed him before, and his pride wouldn't have let them. In this setting, the idea conjured up more heady images, which he only half-heartedly tossed into the Box.

"All right, fine."

Taking his acceptance without further comment, Atem pressed a grape to Kaiba's lips, waiting patiently while he chewed before offering another. The pile slowly dwindled, offering every other berry to Yugi, who took each one with a happy hum. Eventually, Atem's hand was emptied, and when the last berry had passed the CEO's lips, he dunked his hand in the water to his left, rinsing away the sticky juice and watching it swirl and mingle with the remaining bubbles.

The soft candle light flickering in his eyes, the taste of sweet red grapes on his tongue, combined with the floral perfume in the air and the warm flesh beneath his fingertips all made for a very relaxed Seto Kaiba.

Tracing idle patterns on his boyfriend's skin, Kaiba was content to just stay put and watch the bubbles fade, the petals dance, the shadows flicker, and Yugi and Atem's eyes slowly fall shut, identical expressions of peace on their faces.

"Damn, I'm getting all pruny," Yugi whined, opening his eyes to examine his hands, which had indeed begun to wrinkle.

"Ah, time to get out, then?" Atem's eyes had nearly fallen shut, gazing up at them with drowsy interest.

"Yeah, I guess so. Coming, Kaiba?"

The wry twist to his lips at the phrase made Yugi roll his eyes, smacking him lightly across the chest with the back of a hand. 

As Atem made to shift position, rising slowly from the water and slipping easily from Kaiba's hold, a brush of skin flush against his arousal caused his hips to jerk forward, digging his fingers into the tanned flesh before it completely slipped through his grasp. The resulting moan that tore from his lips seemed loud in the intimate space, a quiet hiss on an exhale coming from the Pharaoh before silence reigned supreme.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Yugi hid his growing smirk behind a hand, violet gaze darting from one boyfriend to the other as they disengaged from each other's space, cautiously this time. Atem stepped gingerly from the tub and onto the bath mat, dripping water and a few scant rose petals, looking more like a god than anyone should have the right to. (That was literally the _worst_ phrase that could spring to his mind, but _fuck_ if it wasn't true.)

"My apologies, Kaiba," Atem relented, pulling a towel from a pile near the counter and rubbing it across his skin, dislodging rose petals so that they fell to the floor to join the others.

The CEO took the sixty seconds to calm the pounding rhythm of his heart, releasing Yugi immediately when the man stood to follow his partner.

"You coming now, or.." Yugi trailed off, pausing on his way out. "Do you need a minute?"

Kaiba didn't have to see his face to imagine the slight twitch of his lips, or hear the amusement in his tone to know when he was being teased. Setting his jaw, the CEO abruptly stood, water cascading in tiny rivulets down his toned form, a white rose petal sticking to his chest. Ignoring the roaming eyes and appreciative hum, he stepped out of the tub onto the bath mat, casually sweeping past Atem to snag another towel, quickly rubbing his hair dry.

The change in temperature caused his skin to break out in goosebumps, but that was also ignored. (His eyes darted towards the Pharaoh as he tied the towel around his waist and grabbed another to use on his long hair. (He _really_ should get it together, but the guy wasn't making it easy.) Yugi soon followed suit, and for a couple minutes, the sound of the water draining out of the tub was the only noise in the room. Candles were blown out and rose petals regretfully thrown in the garbage. (They were real, and would shrivel and die in a few day's time anyway.)

Kaiba tossed them each a bathrobe, shrugging one on himself before exiting the room, grabbing the bottle of wine and three untouched glasses. The night wasn't over yet.

Yugi and Atem were not far behind, the former now roughly towel drying his hair and the latter gently rubbing at the ends of his own.

"We should do that again sometime," Yugi quipped, emerging from beneath the fluffy white towel to gaze up expectantly at Kaiba, who only shrugged, placing the bottle of wine and three glasses on the bedside table.

"We'll see."

"It's rather late. Is there something more you'd like to try tonight, Kaiba?" Atem's wine red eyes found Kaiba's wary sapphire, tilting his head to scrub the last of the water from the back of his neck. 

An image from his dreams plagued his vision; comfort, twilight, the faint sounds of battle, and soft cotton sheets beneath his fingers.

"Just one," he gestured to the bottle of wine on the bedside table. "finish this with me."

Tossing his used towel in the hamper in the far corner, Yugi hummed, exchanging glances with his other half, who gave a minute nod.

"Yeah, okay. Why not?"

There was just enough left to fill three glasses halfway. Carefully, Kaiba sat in bed, scooting to the middle of the headboard among the nest of pillows and gestured for the other two to follow, wine glasses in hand. Exchanging bemused looks, Yugi and Atem obeyed, settling themselves on either side of the CEO. 

"This is nice," Yugi murmured, curled with his back against Kaiba's chest, legs comfortably situated and near-empty wine glass tipped to his lips.

Kaiba hummed in agreement, carding his fingers through Yugi's damp hair with his free hand. It was nice; despite their awkward moment earlier, the tide of his arousal had stemmed, and he felt at peace for a change. No one was trying to bother him, he wasn't busy fixing someone else's mistake, and there was nothing that needed his constant focus.

Atem's head rested on his boyfriend's shoulder, taking occasional sips of his wine, the fingers of his free hand tracing the faded white scar on his wrist. Kaiba didn't have the heart to tell him to stop; he didn't _want_ him to stop. The motion was almost loving, and knowing Atem as he did (grossly romantic _sap_ ), it likely was.

"Indeed," came the rich baritone, for once lacking the haughty and imperious edge it once possessed as the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. (It was only later, after the Ceremonial Duel, that everything had been explained to him about _that_. He _still_ didn't believe half of it, and likely never would.)

"I didn't think you'd be up for cuddling, Kaiba, but I kinda like it." His tone light and teasing once more, Yugi tipped his head back, gazing upside down at the man whose lap he once more occupied. (Seriously, he must _really_ get off on this.)

"We're _not_ cuddling." His natural instinct was of course to resist such nonsense. It was so ingrained in his psyche to resist any kind of affection that he dismissed the term immediately.

"Hate to break it to ya, sweetheart, but this is _totally_ cuddling."

"If you call me that ever again, I'm docking your pay," Kaiba threatened, giving the wet curls a light tug at the scalp before releasing them to finish the last of his wine.

Yugi made a noise between a hum and a moan; placing his nearly empty glass on the bedside table, he shifted position so that his head was in Kaiba's lap and his legs were draped over Atem's.

"What are you doing." It wasn't a question, nor did it sound like one.

"Making myself comfortable." Peering up at him with those large violet eyes, Kaiba was half tempted to shove him off the bed. 

"Why." Again, not a question.

Yugi didn't reply for several moments, seeming to contemplate the answer before finally speaking.

"Well, not to mess with you," huffing at the stern gaze, he amended, "well, not _entirely_. I do actually.. like cuddling against you."

 _What._ (If Yugi was fucking with him, he really _was_ going to dock his pay.)

"I'm being serious, you know," he continued, looking down at his toes, now wiggling against the pristine white sheets. "You're kinda hard, but I like that, too." (Well, he wasn't _wrong_ , Kaiba just wasn't sure how he meant it.)

"I think I can agree with Yugi," Atem interjected, raising his head to give them both his full attention. "You may be hard, but you have the capability to be soft."

Kaiba made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat, but did not speak. In the silent interim, he nudged the Box of Emotions one more time. Nothing concrete came of it, so he gave up and left it as is, sure he would regret not further examining his feelings come morning.

No one spoke for some time, their soft breathing the only sounds to pierce the silence. 

Kaiba had just begun to close his eyes when Atem stirred.

"We should go, it's very late."

He didn't have to turn his head very far, frowning at the very prospect. Of course he'd thought they'd stay, that's what he assumed the backpacks were for.

"Aw, already?" Yugi slowly sat up, Atem extending an arm to help get him back into a sitting position. 

"Yes, _koibito_. We all need sleep." Kaiba narrowed his eyes slightly as the endearment passed the Pharaoh's lips.

A yawn, soft and sweet, issued from Yugi's mouth, which he hastily covered, clapping a hand over his mouth to muffle the noise.

Knowing it was inevitable, Kaiba sighed heavily, snaking both arms and legs around Yugi's body, trapping him in a stiff embrace. Though he remembered to be gentle, the man in his arms tensed slightly before relaxing, shifting to bump foreheads and leave a chaste peck on his lips, withdrawing all too soon.

"Papa Pharaoh has spoken," Yugi chirped, an attempt at his usual humor quelled only by his fatigue.

' Papa Pharaoh ' chuckled, the sound reminding Kaiba of a babbling brook, and he resolved to find a similar sound and recreate the effect. 

"Yes, and Mother Yugi needs his rest." Atem seemed content to play along, moving to wrap an arm around his partner, resting his forehead gently against the two of theirs as though this were an every day occurrence.

Kaiba huffed but allowed the contact for a moment before he withdrew, dislodging himself from their grip and getting to his feet.

"Get dressed, I'll walk you down."

The next few minutes were spent hurriedly retrieving their clothes. Kaiba found a silk pajama shirt and pants (sky blue with white trim), choosing to go commando rather than bother wasting time finding a pair. (He didn't want any disparaging comments about his boxer brief collection anyway.)

They kept up their stream of banter all the way downstairs, Yugi's quiet silvery laughter filling the empty halls.

"Who is Kaiba in the family again?" Atem asked, sweeping his long tri-colored hair over one shoulder.

"The pissed off uncle who hates everyone because he was written out of the inheritance?" Yugi shrugged, feet skipping down the stairs, hand lightly resting on the banister.

Kaiba said nothing, shaking his head with an annoyed huff. (These two were fucking _ridiculous_ , it was a wonder he found them attractive.)

Yugi and Atem were nearly halfway across the polished entryway before they realized Kaiba hadn't followed them. He was staring off to the side, holding onto the banister and frowning, eyebrows forming a sharp line. He only stirred when the buttons on his shirt began to fasten themselves. Looking down, he found Atem patiently buttoning his shirt. A quick peek to his right found Yugi standing beside him, two stairs above.

"Everything will be fine, Kaiba." Atem's assurance was followed by warm fingers briefly caressing his cheek.

It was a hard sell, and he had to know that. Kaiba was still battling his own demons, and that took time. Definitely more time than only three days in their weird arrangement could solve.

"We'll see." 

The Box finally made itself known, wiggling in a half-hearted sort of way. Taking that to mean he needed to be alone, it was time to say their goodbyes.

Clutching the banister for support, he leaned down to capture the Pharaoh's lips in a brief, heated kiss; Atem met him halfway, leaving a quick swipe of his tongue across the edge of his lips. (Obelisk _dammit_ , why hadn't he done this sooner?)

Knowing it was better to break things up before any _accidents_ occurred, Kaiba drew back, standing straight once more. Assuming Yugi would have something to say, he turned to his right, opening his mouth, only to pause, witty remark lodging in his throat. 

Yugi had wrapped his arms loosely around Kaiba's neck from behind and was now gazing expectantly down at him, violet eyes glimmering in the dim hall lights. Unable to say no, he closed the remaining distance between their lips; the angle was awkward, but he refused to move, nipping swiftly at Yugi's bottom lip before drawing hastily back.

It wasn't as satisfying, but it would have to do. He was at his affectionate limit for the day, and he needed to isolate himself and recharge.

Before escorting them out into the cold February night, he paused in the doorway, watching them link hands and turn to head to their car.

"Thank you," he called, hand clenching briefly around the doorknob before forcing it to loosen. "for today, that is."

Yugi's answering smile was _angelic_ , lit by the moon and tinged with sleep, he waved back with the hand not holding Atem's.

"You're most welcome, Kaiba." Atem returned the gesture in kind, smile serene in the starry half-light. "See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Kaiba murmured, watching them retreat down the driveway. 

He stood sentry at the front door until their tail lights disappeared past the wrought iron gate, staring into the night and feeling the chill resurface, seeping into his gut with a vengeance.

He climbed into bed some minutes later, gazing at the bucket of half melted ice where the wine had been and idly wondered if it was a metaphor for his own partially melted heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> w h o o p s........ i fluffed...........
> 
> Someone free Kaiba from his Glass Case of Emotions.
> 
> habibi - Arabic for beloved  
> koibito - Japanese for lover
> 
> fml i missed so many errors.. i need more sleep.. #rip Rae  
> Not gonna update for at least a week, I need a break to rest my brain. Gonna work on duel squad and my yoi fic instead.


	5. Day Four: Red Medicine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seto Kaiba doesn't date. He doesn't, really. It's just business. A fleeting experience he won't even think about a year from now.
> 
> Then his perfectly ordered world is turned upside down and he has to completely re-evaluate his emotions.
> 
> [Increase your lifepoints by 500 points.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll, I cannot believe I wrote this. Nothing was supposed to happen until at _least_ day six, and then my brain went "bitch, you thought" and well... this happened...
> 
> I've never written smut for more than one person to read before, but don't be afraid to criticize me if it doesn't live up to your expectations. I'm a big marshmallow, I can take it.
> 
> Now that the stage is set, please enjoy!

Breakfast the next day was a rather subdued affair. Kaiba had not dreamed at all the night before, for which he was immensely thankful. It left him free to examine his feelings properly, something he had not had the luxury of doing since the previous morning. Mokuba said little, perhaps sensing his brother's need to think.

He was falling behind on his work, thanks to this _relationship_ deal he'd made. If he kept spending so much time away from his work, things would begin to fall apart. He still had so much to do, the least of which was to put the new VR console into production, along with his newest game. That would take at _least_ three meetings.

Then he had to make sure Mokuba was on top of his school work and that he was handling his part of the business appropriately. So far, he seemed able to cope well enough with the workload, so he didn't have to worry too much. 

Teenage brother aside, Kaiba had a decision to make. So far, their arrangement had been beneficial to all parties involved. He still wasn't sure what he was getting out of all this. Affection? He didn't really need it, and he had Mokuba for that. Their duels were still the same, ridiculous affairs they always were, nothing had changed there. (Though perhaps Yugi went slightly easier on him than usual, but he'd made sure to nip _that_ in the bud quickly.)

Admittedly, the kissing was nice; as inexperienced as Kaiba was, the other two didn't seem to mind. They had been willing to include him in their gross, sappy, _domestic_ romance, which was a bit of an eye opener. Yugi and Atem had been practically attached at the hip since the pharaoh's return, and even before that, they had shared a body, mind, and spirit. A bond like that was something Kaiba could never hope to compete with.

He didn't know _why_ they had even agreed to this, and that bothered him more than anything else.

***

On the limo ride to work, his phone beeped, the sound of wind chimes filling the car interior. Mokuba's head shot up at the sound, a smile stretching across his face. With a roll of his eyes, Kaiba dug out his phone to see what his _boyfriends_ wanted so early in the morning.

**To: duel darlings™**

Kuribonbon: so whats the plan for today??  
BlueEyesCEO: Working.  
Kuribonbon: after work

He hadn't thought that far. They were halfway though the week now, and it still seemed like they were just winging it. It _was_ an experiment, but one they were faltering in. Getting to know two people romantically who you sometimes wanted to strangle was difficult. His heart still wasn't completely in it, but he had been trying. 

Maybe _trying_ just wasn't good enough anymore.

The next peal of a wind chime distracted him from his thoughts. Mokuba had been on the verge of opening his mouth to ask what was up, but Kaiba waved off the concern. Epiphanies came and went, though usually not in this fashion.

KingofGames: Yugi's mother will be having dinner with us tonight, so we may not be able to see each other.  
Kuribonbon: edfgh fuck i forgot......

Wait, _what_. Kaiba stared down at his phone, blinking at the message on screen. He'd forgot about Yugi's mother. Sugoroku was one thing - he avoided the man if at all possible, sure he still held a grudge over Death T. (He would have.) He'd never met the woman, and wasn't really sure he _wanted_ to. Family was a tough subject for pretty much all of them.

BlueEyesCEO: Then we don't need to.  
KingofGames: Why not just invite Kaiba as well?  
Kuribonbon: to dinner.... with my mom....  
KingofGames: I see no harm in it.

He would sooner subject himself to another humiliating loss at Battle City, his own fucking tournament, than sit quietly at a dinner table with Yugi's family. Sure, he was a businessman, he could act gracious and be a gentleman - if he _wanted_ to. The problem was, he'd never _had_ to. Seto Kaiba hadn't gotten to the top of the food chain by being a gentleman. He was ruthless, and took no prisoners.

This time, Mokuba did ask what was wrong.

"Something up, Nii-sama?"

Kaiba huffed and shook his head, glancing down at his phone, fingers flying rapidly against the tiny keyboard.

BlueEyesCEO: Do you think I'm going to insult your mother?  
Kuribonbon: well i mean?? no??  
BlueEyesCEO: I don't insult family members without cause.  
Kuribonbon: ok but its still my mom

Yugi was being difficult and Kaiba had no idea _why_. Was it really _that_ big of a deal to him? It was just dinner. With his boyfriend's family. Now he wanted to bash his head into the bulletproof glass to his left. If it really was just dinner, why was he the one making a huge deal of it? Surely he could survive dinner in the Mutou household?

KingofGames: I'm sure she would not mind having an extra guest.  
Kuribonbon: easy for you to say, she loves you  
BlueEyesCEO: If this is going to be an issue, we can forget it.

He could always outright refuse the invitation. It would give him an extra night to catch up on work.

That damned Box of Emotions he'd shoved away earlier gave a little throb, and he grimaced. Skipping out on dinner meant he'd be missing a whole day of their week-long arrangement.

KingofGames: I think he is simply embarrassed at the thought of you meeting his mother.  
Kuribonbon: so this... is how i die...  
KingofGames: If it was under the pretext of a business occasion, would you feel better?  
Kuribonbon: i guess so  
Kuribonbon: no offense kaiba it took my mom a long time to be ok w atem

His phone beeped, capturing his attention. Now they were just going back and forth like they weren't even in the same _room_ together. If they were going to talk business over dinner, that _would_ make it a bit easier to handle. 

BlueEyesCEO: I can imagine.  
Kuribonbon: idk if she'll take to you better or not  
KingofGames: We have not told his family yet.

Oh, _right._ Well, he'd kind of blown it, since Mokuba sort of knew what the deal was. He still hadn't told him any of the details, and his brother hadn't asked. With only a flicker of guilt, he replied quickly. 

BlueEyesCEO: Mokuba knows.  
Kuribonbon: wtf we had a deal  
BlueEyesCEO: I don't lie to my family.  
KingofGames: I did think he was staring at us rather curiously last night.  
Kuribonbon: so is he like.... okay w this

Stealing a glance at his little brother, Kaiba found a pair of blue grey eyes trained his way, blinking curiously. The words he'd spoken last night before heading to bed replayed themselves in his mind.

 _"Well, good luck, Nii-sama. You deserve to be happy."_

He didn't truly believe that, but his brother did with his whole heart.

He'd finally made up his mind. Seto Kaiba _never_ backed out of an agreement, no matter how things played out.

BlueEyesCEO: He wants me to be happy, I doubt he cares how it happens.  
Kuribonbon: are you happy tho??

He blinked, only just realizing the limo had pulled into the underground garage. (He didn't feel like facing the public just yet if he didn't need to.) Mokuba had been dropped off at school minutes prior, and he'd barely acknowledged his brother's departure, waving idly and focusing his attention inward.

Yugi's question burned; he still hadn't replied and the calming wind chimes had not sounded again, as though he was waiting for the CEO to answer. _Was_ he happy? He pondered that on the elevator ride up to his office, flanked by a silent Isono.

There was nothing else for it. Kaiba didn't have time to dwell on his happiness right now, so he employed the old tried and true tactic of deflection.

BlueEyesCEO: We'll talk after dinner.  
KingofGames: We hold dinner at 7pm usually.  
Kuribonbon: wait, ur actually coming??

Yugi seemed surprised at his acceptance. (Well, that made two of them.) Atem, as usual, didn't bat an eye. He was so frustratingly put together sometimes, that Kaiba occasionally wondered what it would be like to watch the pharaoh come undone. (Preferably beneath him.) Perhaps that thought prompted his next response.

BlueEyesCEO: Might not only be me.  
Kuribonbon: wait, ur bringing Mokuba??  
KingofGames: I think that was innuendo, aibou.

Atem _still_ hadn't been phased, and even picked up on the double entendre where Yugi had not. ( _Asshole_.)

Kuribonbon: osiris pls hear my prayer just fcjkghng kill me now  
BlueEyesCEO: You're not getting out of this that easy.  
Kuribonbon: brb kms  
KingofGames: See you at 7, Kaiba.

He found it ironic that each of them addressed their corresponding God whenever exasperated to the point of cursing. Ishtar did the same thing, and he supposed it came with the territory of once being the holder of one of the most powerful cards in Duel Monsters.

Setting his phone aside, he began his work day as usual, throwing himself into each task without respite.

***

He did not eat lunch, and when Mokuba arrived after 3pm and asked if he'd eaten (as he usually did), Kaiba replied that no, he hadn't had the time.

The next half hour was spent with Mokuba hovering over his desk, watching him eat a salad from the local deli place down the road, scowling at his brother until every bite had disappeared. Satisfied, he took the now empty container, gave his brother a quick hug, and let him return to work without further fuss. (He did not see Yugi, but had a moment of weakness where he ached to feel those tiny hands rubbing the tension from his shoulders and back. Then he got over it and launched himself back into his work.)

***

At six, Mokuba asked if they were going home any time soon. He was halfway through the paperwork scattered about his desk when he remembered his dinner plans. With a grimace, he set down a sheaf of reports and massaged his temples.

"No, I made.. _plans_." he eventually ground out, rubbing the dark circles beneath his eyes. He hadn't had but five hours of sleep last night, but he'd be damned if it showed.

"With Yugi and Atem?" Mokuba guessed, head tilted and a smile working its way onto his face. At Kaiba's answering nod, he chuckled, hopping up from his place on one of the couches. "Well, you shouldn't keep them waiting, then."

At Mokuba's insistence, (as though he could _really_ ever resist), he left the Kaiba Corp. building ten minutes later, briefcase in hand. Inside were a number of subjects he could propose as dinner topics under the pretext of 'business'. 

Arriving home ten minutes later, he spent the next twenty minutes in the shower, again under his brother's insistence. ("I'm not letting you leave the house looking like death warmed over, Seto.") Instead of a suit, he was given a soft, close-knit sweater to wear, along with a pair of dark denim skinny jeans ("To offset those long legs of yours, _obviously_."), and his usual pair of buckled boots.

When he'd been declared as 'not a total fashion disaster', he was finally cleared to leave. Assuring his older brother he wouldn't stay up too late, Mokuba told him to have a good time. 

"And if you want to spend the night," he'd called down the drive as Kaiba walked over to the garage to retrieve his car, "I won't mind!" Snorting, he chose not to respond. (As if that would _actually_ happen anyway.)

Pulling up to the Kame Game Shop with ten minutes to spare, he left his car parked behind Atem's around the back entrance. Pulling out his phone, he shot off a quick text to their private chat and knocked on the door.

BlueEyesCEO: I'm here, come open the door.

Within seconds a reply popped up as though anticipating his arrival.

KingofGames: Very well, one moment.

He didn't have to wait long before the door opened and a sleek head of mahogany, black, and gold appeared. Serene kohl-lined eyes blinked back at him before a smile lit his handsome face.

"Welcome, Kaiba. I was just about to set the table." Atem's warm, rich voice was soothing after a long day of phone calls with pompous idiots and egotistical accountants.

"Thanks," Kaiba replied stiffly, brushing past Atem, who stood aside to let him in, shutting the door behind him. 

Kaiba found himself in a short hallway; a _genkan_ , similar to the one before the stairs to the living quarters, preceded the narrow space, flanked by two doors. One was presumably the storage room of the game shop, though he had no idea what was behind the other door. After exchanging his boots for a pair of house slippers, Kaiba followed Atem around the corner of the hall and up the stairs to the second floor. (He had wondered what was around that corner the last time he was here, and now he knew.)

Atem lead him into the sitting room, where Sugoroku sat on one couch, his back to the door. At the sound of their approach, he turned his head, inclining it in a brief nod.

"Evening, Kaiba."

This was it, the first test of the night. He can _do_ this.

"Evening, Mutou-san."

Both thick grey eyebrows shot towards the bandana tied around his head, looking from Atem to Kaiba and back again, perhaps surprised at the civil tone of his response.

The soft murmur of voices coming from the kitchen stopped, and a spiky head poked around the kitchen doorway, a wooden spoon in hand.

"Oh, hey, Kaiba!" Yugi chirped, sending him a bright, cheerful grin. (He was being cute in his _own_ house this time, so he couldn't even bitch about it.)

A short head of auburn hair followed, peeking around the corner behind Yugi. The woman had a kind face, dark eyes, and smiled politely when she spotted him.

"You must be Seto Kaiba! Yugi's told me so much about you," she said, voice light and carefree, much like her son's. "Here, come in! Dinner is just about ready."

Taking the advice with a stoic nod, he entered the sitting room proper, fist clutched tightly around the handle of his briefcase. Yugi shot him a surreptitious wink before retreating back into the kitchen with his mother. (He at least seemed to finally be okay with this. The same could not be said for the CEO.)

"I'll be right back," Atem murmured. Casting a pleading look at Yugi's grandfather, he disappeared into the kitchen, probably to set the table.

That just left him alone with Sugoroku Mutou, who was eyeing him almost warily. Shoving his apprehension into the Box (which he was becoming awfully familiar with lately), Kaiba was left with no choice but to sit on the couch across from the old man, setting his briefcase at his feet.

"So, what brings you here at this hour, Kaiba?" Sugoroku asked, ignoring the television in favor of staring him down. (Yep, he was probably still sore about Death T. _Wonderful._ ) 

"I have business to discuss with Yugi, and he graciously invited me to dinner so we could talk." His face betrayed nothing as the lie slipped easily passed his lips. (Sure, he'd come up with some things to _possibly_ discuss, but that could be done during work hours, and he wasn't really here to talk about _work._ )

"Ah, I see. Well, you seemed to have changed since last I saw you."

Kaiba _hated_ small talk. He was the type of person who got down to business quickly; no sense beating around the bush when he had a company to run.

"Indeed. The company is growing, so much so that I rarely have time for anything else." He decided that if he was going to be diplomatic, he may as well be honest.

Luckily, the tense atmosphere was broken by the call of "Dinner's ready!" from the kitchen. Briefly blessing Obelisk for the intervention (he really needed to hang out with those dweebs less), he and Sugoroku made their way towards the dinner table, located in a nook off the kitchen.

The seating arrangements had apparently been decided before he arrived. Kaiba found himself sitting across from Yugi and his mother, with Atem directly to his right and Sugoroku on Atem's other side. He found some comfort in the pharaoh's calm, regal presence and used it to bolster his resolve. 

Dinner was a quiet, respectful affair, and Kaiba had the feeling it was because of him. He answered each of Mrs. Mutou's questions calmly, watching Yugi's mouth drop at the charming and light tone coming from his boyfriend's mouth. He quickly recovered, nudging the CEO's foot under the table as if to say 'I didn't know you could be this suave.' (All part of the package, pipsqueak.)

He had to admit, the food was delicious, and Mrs. Mutou seemed to brighten at his praise. She wasn't sure about him at first, likely thanks to her son's stories from their dueling days, but eventually she set aside her previous judgment of the man and welcomed him with open arms. (That took less than an hour, an amazing feat in itself.)

After dinner, they retired to the sitting room for a nightly cup of tea. Kaiba ended up between his two boyfriends on the couch (a respectful foot's distance or so from both), with Sugoroku and Mrs. Mutou sitting across from them on the other. He was currently showing them the prototype for the newest dueling technology, a lens-like device that sat over one eye. It was supposed to enhance one's dueling experience, relying heavily on the newest holographic technology to function.

"That's going to cost a pretty penny, I'll bet," Sugoroku remarked, leaning over the coffee table to pass back the prototype.

"Not as much as you might think," he remarked, passing it over to Yugi for him to examine. Their fingers brushed briefly as he took the proffered device, but Kaiba resisted the impulse to drag his fingers across the inside of his wrist.

"Wow, Kaiba!" His eyes sparkled, turning the technology over and over in his hands, smiling up at the man next to him. (Fuck, stop acting like a cute angel, you shitty _gremlin._ ) "This is probably my favorite thing you've made yet!"

Kaiba allowed himself a brief smirk, taking the lens back and passing it to Atem, who hummed thoughtfully, running his fingers experimentally over the surface before handing it back.

"It certainly _is_ something," Mrs. Mutou spoke up, taking a sip of her tea as he replaced it very carefully in the lining of his briefcase (right next to his new duel disk prototype, of course).

"When do they launch?" asked Atem, keeping a secure grip on the tea cup in his lap.

"A year, maybe sooner. If not in time for this World Championships, then certainly the next." He was proud of his newest addition to the dueling field, and it showed in the way he carried himself, every inch the successful businessman.

"Are you participating this year?" asked Yugi, looking up through his eyelashes over the rim of his tea cup.

"Are you?" Kaiba countered, a challenging spark dancing across his eyes.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." His cheeky grin was enough to set a muscle twitching in Kaiba's cheek, fighting back a smile.

"Then neither will I." The volume of his voice dropped, and if it hadn't been for the audience, Kaiba would have grabbed the little shit and kissed him thoroughly into the sofa cushion. (Maybe later, that image was too good to just toss into the Box.)

"Nor will I," Atem chuckled, amused at the sudden turn their attitudes had taken.

Thankfully, Sugoroku and Mrs. Mutou remained blissfully unaware of the sudden spike of tension in the air. 

Shortly before nine, Ms. Mutou bid her goodbyes, wishing Kaiba good luck with his new technology.

"You're welcome back any time, Kaiba-san." she said, giving her son a hug and Atem a handshake before departing.

Now left with the prospect of being in the same room with the old man without another adult presence to use as a buffer, Kaiba's apprehension returned in full force.

"Hey, Jichan," Yugi piped up when the silence grew to be too much, "can Kaiba stay a bit longer? I wanna know more about the plans for the prototype lens."

Sugoroku eyed them both critically before heaving a sigh and standing, shutting the television off and stretching.

"All right, but you're not to stay up past midnight again," he cautioned, staring Kaiba down as though that had been his fault. (It _was_ , but he wasn't going to own up to that any time soon.) 

"Not to worry, I'll be sure to see Kaiba out once business has concluded." Atem placed his now empty cup of tea on the coffee table in front of him, shooting Sugoroku a reassuring smile. It seemed to do the trick, because he left a moment later, wishing them all a good night, and, turning down the opposite hall, disappeared from sight.

As soon as the door closed and silence reigned, Yugi left out a heavy sigh, slumping over into Kaiba's lap.

"Man, that went on for _ages_!" he whined, wrapping both arms tightly around his boyfriend and clinging as if his life depended on it.

"Yes, but it's over now, and we may do as we please," Atem murmured, carding his fingers through Yugi's plum and mahogany curls, earning a pleased hum for the action.

Kaiba snorted, half-heartedly trying to push the man from his lap without success.

"Thank Osiris," Yugi muttered, his words half muffled by Kaiba's jeans. Atem chuckled and Yugi's head shot up, dislodging the hand in his hair and staring up at Kaiba with hopeful violet eyes. "That wasn't too hard for you, right?"

"Not really," he shrugged, gently peeling Yugi's arms from around his waist, maneuvering him until he was sitting between his legs, back pressed to his chest and long arms snaking around his neck. He'd become accustomed to Yugi draping himself in his lap whenever he wanted, and now Kaiba wanted _him_ in his lap for a change.

"Thank you," Yugi murmured, turning to place a chaste kiss to his boyfriend's cheek. "for being nice to my family." he added at the confused hum from the tired CEO.

Atem smiled warmly, shaking his head. He scooted closer, draping an arm over Kaiba's shoulders, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. Kaiba sighed, content for the first time that day. He briefly imagined coming home to this sort of thing every day, and immediately squashed the notion. This was _only_ for a week, he reminded himself. No need to get attached; he would, however, enjoy every moment like this he was permitted.

"So," Yugi began, grabbing one of Kaiba's hands and playing with his long fingers, "what now?"

Kaiba had an inkling of what he wanted; although the images presented to him were _very nice_ (Yugi grinding atop his lap, letting out breathy moans as Kaiba snapped his hips into the man above him over and over again, Atem looming over them both, bottomed out and sweating, an arm wrapped lazily around Yugi's waist, the other gripping Kaiba's calf so tightly that red, hand-shaped marks appeared in the flesh, murmuring Arabic endearments into the shell of Yugi's ear as he came), he wasn't entirely sure he was ready for that sort of thing _just_ yet.

Before Kaiba could open his mouth to answer, two things happened simultaneously.

One, all three of their phones chimed, creating a strange cacophony of sound in the intimate space, followed by the unmistakable vibrations associated with receiving a text.

Two, said vibration came from Yugi's back pants pocket, where he kept his phone and, consequently, where his ass was pressed right into Kaiba's lap. Shuddering, his arms tightened significantly around Yugi's neck, the vibrations reverberating through his jeans and straight to his cock, which gave a rather insistent twitch.

"Ah, well, hang on," Yugi muttered, reaching behind him to dig his phone out from between the press of their bodies. Hissing at the sudden lack of delicious friction, Kaiba refused to let Yugi up from his lap, swallowing thickly and willing his arousal to fucking _behave_.

"Hey, what gi-- ohhhh, shit," Yugi stuttered, suddenly feeling the press of something rather _large_ against his backside.

"Everything all right?" Atem asked, gazing down at his boyfriends, curiosity alight in his eyes.

"Fine," Kaiba muttered amid delighted peals of Yugi's silvery laughter.

"Is.. is that your _deck_.. in your pocket.. o-or are you j-just.. happy to see me," Yugi was _dying_ with laughter in his lap, squirming and agitating the _problem_ further.

"Ah, aibou," Atem faltered, fighting a smirk himself, "I don't think that's helping any."

Thankfully, Yugi got the hint and sat up like a good boy, wiping the tears from his eyes before finally answering the summons of the group chat, still giggling. (Kaiba still refused to let him go, stubbornly holding him in place while he dug his own phone out of his pocket, which had mercifully _not_ been on vibrate at the time.)

PeachSunrise: guess who has the day off today 8)  
Kuribonbon: not me  
BikeBoi: or me  
xGraveKeeperx: is it a holiday in America? :o  
PeachSunrise: govt holiday  
DiceBoi: we've lost two more bois....  
xGraveKeeperx: sorry, i kept reading mine as bee keeper v_v  
BlackDragBoi: bee keeper, keeper of the bees  
DiceBoi: the #boi army will rise again one day....

Well, that wasn't anything he needed to respond to, but Yugi's fingers were flying across the keyboard, Atem's much slower as they took delight in responding to whatever nonsense the geek squad came up with. At a second glance, the subject had turned, yet again, to the American Presidency. (Truthfully, Kaiba had taken a rather keen interest in the election himself, refusing all business-related contact with America since the moron came to office.)

Kuribonbon: he got pissed and was 2 secs from threatening to send him to the shadow realm lmfao  
BlackDragBoi: he'd deserve it tbh  
Kuribonbon: ngl it was hot

Kaiba couldn't resist; finally finding something worth responding to, he typed out a quick reply and hit send, awkwardly texting around Yugi's shoulder to do so. Thankfully, Atem had realized his need for space and had retreated a foot away, glancing at him every now and again from the corner of his eyes.

BlueEyesCEO: Keep it in your pants, Mutou.  
Kuribonbon: i'd have to be wearing pants but ok

He snorted softly, tugging pointedly on the fabric of Yugi's sweat pants and raising a brow when he turned to see what was up. 

"What?" came the innocent reply that fooled absolutely no one. "I can take them off and then I really _would_ be telling the truth."

Kaiba set his jaw and shook his head. (That would _not_ help things, except for maybe giving the images in his head more fodder for later.) To take his mind off the still rather persistent problem (why the fuck did he wear skinny jeans tonight, what the _fuck_ ) he distracted himself with the group chat once more.

Kuribonbon: who tf wears pants after 9pm, i ask you  
SpookyBoi: Atem?  
Kuribonbon: ok but thats a given  
KingofGames: Not always, mind you.

That image caused another little twitch from his now rather _prominent_ erection. Yugi choked back yet more laughter, and Kaiba wanted Obelisk himself to reach out from the Shadow Realm and swallow him whole. (Don't think about swallowing, for fuck's _sake_.)

PeachSunrise: speaking of, did you get the clothes i sent?  
KingofGames: Yes, thank you, Anzu. They fit wonderfully.  
PeachSunrise: aw good c:  
Kuribonbon: ye thanks anzu  
Kuribonbon: i have been revived  
BikeBoi: what'd she send you  
PeachSunrise: butt out honda, it's personal  
BlackDragBoi: was it more leather pants  
Kuribonbon: i wish

It wasn't hard to toss the image of the pharaoh in leather into the Box and slam the lid shut. When he wasn't wearing skin tight clothes, he wore loose-fitting shirts and slacks, though only for official tournaments and the like. (That did nothing for him, he was so used it by now.) Kaiba couldn't let another opportunity to exercise his carefully controlled wit to surface.

BlueEyesCEO: As if he needs a collection.  
HarpyQueen: bit late for that, isn't it?

(Well, she had a point, the man probably had more leather in his closet than a cowboy from the American south.)

Atem's rich laughter rang forth, causing both Kaiba and the man stuck in his lap to look over. Yugi smiled coyly while Kaiba stared him down, willing his arousal back into its steel cage.

DiceBoi: since it's still kinda early, anyone up for some cod before bed?  
xGraveKeeperx: isn't that a fish  
Kuribonbon: ye its not bad

For that, Kaiba was so tempted to strangle him that his hand was already halfway wrapped around his neck before Yugi sighed, tipping his head back and granting him more access. Well, then. If he wasn't so intent on keeping his composure, he might have taken advantage of that. Since they were all so intent on playing that infernal game (Kaiba wasn't one for first person shooters, they got boring after awhile.), he supposed it was finally time to let his shield escape.

BikeBoi: terrorist hunt  
DiceBoi: Kaiba, you in?  
BlackDragBoi: i smell a team kill waiting to happen  
BlueEyesCEO: Only if you piss me off, mutt.  
Kuribonbon: ok temu and i will take turns then

(His dignity would take a bit of a hit, but they'd already seen him naked, so what else _was_ there?)

Very slowly, gritting his teeth, Kaiba loosened his hold on Yugi until both hands were clenched into fists at his thighs. Realizing he was finally free, Yugi tipped his head back, raising an eyebrow. Kaiba matched his expression, but said nothing. Taking that as an affirmative, Yugi got to his feet, his ass lingering longer than necessary within Kaiba's sight line before he skipped off to sit on Atem's other side.

"Are you all right, Kaiba?" Atem asked, amusement coloring his tone as he sent off another reply to the group chat.

"Fine," he replied gruffly, gingerly crossing his legs and almost wishing he hadn't. (What he wouldn't _give_ for some solitude so he could take care of it.)

"Think you can play in your, ah.. condition?" Yugi was stiffling his snickers in one hand, but the pharaoh simply smiled, still totally at ease and not batting an eye. (That would _definitely_ have to change one day.)

"Play and wipe the floor with you lot." There was a clear note of challenge in his voice, one that both King of Games picked up on, eyes lighting up in interest.

"All right, we'll hold you to that," quipped Yugi, standing and stretching. Atem was right behind him, pausing to allow Kaiba to pick his dignity off the floor, dust it off, and slowly follow them down the hall. (He left his briefcase, it would be fine where it was.)

It turned out their room was the farthest one from the sitting room. Complete with skylight, king size bed tucked in the far corner (stereotypical), and bookshelves lining one wall, Kaiba thought it seemed rather homey and plain. Duel Monsters posters meshed with rock bands and a calendar tucked above the desk beneath the skylight; it housed a computer, tower, and keyboard, with speakers sitting in the back corners.

Moonlight, silver, pale, and shining, splayed out on the carpet in long bars, casting the rest of the room in near-darkness. Kaiba heard the unmistakable sounds of a television, and suddenly blue light flooded the room, soaking the end of their bed in its soft glow.

"It's not much," Yugi piped up, grabbing a controller and a headset, plopping down on the edge of the bed, "but it's home." 

"Cozy and nerdy. Typical for the King of Games," Kaiba scoffed, noting Atem shutting the door behind him and coming to join Yugi as he set up the game for them.

"Yeah, yeah," Yugi shrugged, patting the spot next to him in bed. "come show us how it's done, then."

Beating down another round of apprehension, Kaiba did just that, wincing as he sat, trying to situate himself around the uncomfortable press of his dick against his jeans. Not waiting for a reaction, he escaped to the group chat.

KingofGames: Which map shall we play?  
BlackDragBoi: why not just start w/ the house and go from there??  
SpookyBoi: That sounds fine.  
PeachSunrise: not putting it to a vote?  
Kuribonbon: as if you lot can agree on anything  
BikeBoi: house it is

They exchanged idle banter while the game loaded, which was fine with him. It gave the CEO precious time to calm his arousal, which didn't seem to want to listen tonight. 

Kuribonbon: we didn't even start watching old american tv shows until anzu left anyway  
BlueEyesCEO: Is it finally time to put the dog down.  
SpookyBoi: Everyone in?  
BlackDragBoi: DRUGFTHYJ PIHUBK  
Kuribonbon: quick, form the party and pick ur loadouts before jou combusts

(He was trying to think of anything that would make the urge go _away_. Even Blue Eyes in a frilly dress had no affect.)

Characters were called dibs on, and invites were sent out. Kaiba concentrated on the load out screen for all he was worth. With Ishtar having left to attend to his own life, the rest of them were trying to form a party. Yugi stuck the headset on, offering the controller to Atem, who shook his head. Kaiba also refused to go first, perfectly suited to wait until he got himself in check before attempting any games.

BlackDragBoi: i;mg onnfa shoot monfeybegs in the back of the heafd  
BlueEyesCEO: In your dreams, maybe.  
Kuribonbon: now whos the team killer lmao  
KingofGames: Ready when you are.  
SpookyBoi: Who's going first between you and Yugi?  
Kuribonbon: me

Well, that settled things. 

BlueEyesCEO: Hope you dweebs have a strategy.  
HarpyQueen: up through the basement?  
BlackDragBoi: was thinkin the roof tbh  
Kuribonbon: who fucijgfnk... shot me....  
PeachSunrise: sorry yugi!! you startled me :c

Indeed, on the screen, Mazaki had been canvassing the stairwell, only to turn and shoot Yugi when his character walked around the corner. He hadn't been killed, but now his life meter was relatively low and the man in question was pouting.

BikeBoi: hang on, enabling voice chat  
Kuribonbon: thank sweet fuvcjig osiris  
BlackDragBoi: i doubt a large dragon would be a good fuck  
DiceBoi: don't let Kaiba hear you say that  
BlueEyesCEO: You wish I was offended.  
HarpyQueen: no offense, but have you seen your theme park  
PeachSunrise: or the dragon jet  
BlackDragBoi: or the gate of his house  
Kuribonbon: drag kaiba later when i'm not carrying the whole team thru this

Kaiba snorted. There was _nothing_ wrong with his affinity for the Blue Eyes. She was a beautiful, noble creature that frankly, anyone should want to admire.

DiceBoi: i died  
Kuribonbon: stay in the voice chat, or i'm tossing a grenade at ur feet  
HarpyQueen: might have to start over :<  
BikeBoi: wertyuio GUYS  
KingofGames: Focus, now.  
BlueEyesCEO: Good luck with that.

After that, it was all downhill from there. He could hear faint chatter from the headset over Yugi's ears, and since he was now so focused on the game, he didn't notice Atem rise from his position on the bed, where he'd been watching, place his phone on the desk, and slowly approach the CEO, who turned to face the pharaoh, eyebrow raised in challenge.

"If you need to take care of it, I can.. help you." There was only a slight hint of hesitation in Atem's voice as he gestured to the obvious tent in his pants that ached with the need to feel _someone's_ hands on him.

Stealing a quick glance at Yugi, who was still engrossed in his shooting match at the end of the bed, Kaiba shook his head, stuffing his phone back into his pocket. He didn't feel like playing this round, and he'd said as much in chat.

"Don't offer to do something you don't want to do," he muttered, keeping his voice low, unwilling to bear any more teasing from the spiky-haired peanut gallery.

"If I am offering, that means I _do_ want to," Atem frowned, arms folded loosely across his chest. "I do not like seeing those I care about in pain."

Swallowing thickly, Kaiba considered his options. 

One, he could continue to suffer the discomfort all to keep his pride and dignity intact.

Or two, he could accept the help Atem was offering ( _Yes!_ his arousal screamed, giving another twitch.) and possibly give into his desires for a change.

The low sounds of battle are not the backdrop he would have wished, but beggars cannot be choosers.

"Fine," he muttered, tone dipping into seductive territory. 

Atem smiled, casting a final look at his partner (still thoroughly engrossed in killing terrorists for the moment) before leaning over the CEO, hands coming up to cradle the stern face between his hands.

"Good, now just relax," he whispered, brushing his lips against Kaiba's once, twice, three times, adding a quick swipe of his tongue before withdrawing to survey his work. "You may enjoy it. I do not like to brag, but I've gotten quite good at this over the years." (He probably didn't need to know that, but he was already half-hard and practically _trembling_.)

Tan fingers dipped into his pants pocket, deftly withdrawing the CEO's phone and placing it beside his own on the desk. Kaiba watched him like a hawk through half-lidded sapphire eyes as the pharaoh got down on his knees, spreading his legs apart, hands ghosting up the denim clad thighs and coming to rest on the belt buckle.

The Box of Emotions quivered along with his insides as Atem slowly unfastened the buckle, leaving it dangling on either side, the quiet whisper of his zipper as it slid down seeming loud in his ears. Kaiba had chosen not to go commando this time, and he was starting to feel grateful for the silk barrier between skin and rough blue denim - at least until it slid down his thighs to get trapped between the sheets and the back of his knees.

A hum of approval broke through the lust-filled brain fog, and Kaiba struggled to focus on Atem's eyes, red violet and outlined in black liner that were currently taking in his full length, aching to be touched and resting against his thigh, flushed and waiting.

Slim fingers ghosted their way up his bare thighs, pausing to gently knead and stroke the flesh as they made their way steadily upwards. Clenching the soft bed sheets as a way to anchor himself, Kaiba stole one last look at Yugi, whose attention was still thankfully diverted, before swallowing down the last bit of apprehension and locking eyes with the man between his knees.

"Are you ready?" Atem asked, tucking a strand of gold behind his ear and placing a hand in the dip between his waist and thighs. 

"Yes," he nodded, clenching the bedsheets tightly in anticipaion.

"Remember, this is supposed to feel good, so please relax."

Kaiba only had time to relax the stiff set of his shoulders before warm fingers were sliding up and down his length and all conscious thought drifted out the window. 

Before long, the measured stroke of his fingers wasn't enough, and he wanted _more_. Tipping his head back, Kaiba stared at the ceiling, unseeing, just letting himself feel the rough pads of Atem's fingers as they skirted the underside, pulling the skin back almost tenderly, exposing more of him to the air.

Kaiba's fingers found their way into Atem's long hair, which had remained unbound and flowed freely past his shoulders. Grabbing hold of the silken tresses and holding on, stuttered breaths escaped from between clenched teeth as he tried to retain some measure of control while those nimble fingers worked him over, the other hand kneading the skin around his hipbone.

Words had escaped him, but the way the pharaoh was looking up at him from beneath those thick black lashes should be illegal and punishable by death. Head now hovering over a thoroughly flushed tip, Atem raised an eyebrow, as if asking for permission to proceed further.

Not trusting himself to open his mouth quite yet, all Kaiba could do was nod his consent, but that was apparently all the pharaoh needed before his head descended ever lower. He felt Atem's heated breath whisper against the aroused flesh before the first couple inches disappeared from sight and the young CEO lost himself to the sensation of slick warmth enveloping his senses.

The pharaoh started doing things with his tongue that made him squirm and clutch the man's hair tighter, determined not to make a sound no matter the cost. He was still consciously aware of Yugi sitting barely five or so feet away, his back to them and fully focused on his task. That was the least of his problems, though.

The man between his legs was staring up at him, wine red eyes simmering, and Kaiba forgot his self control for about half a second, a breathy, disjointed moan falling from his lips before he clamped his jaw firmly shut. The noises Atem's tongue made as he laved a stripe up the length of his cock were absolutely _sinful_ , and Kaiba was well on his way to coming undone, the combination of teeth, lips, tongue, and fingers making his thighs tremble in warning.

A tiny pale hand entered his vision, fuzzy and grey about the edges as it was. It tenderly caressed his cheek and turned his chin to the right, where Yugi had situated himself on his knees next to them. Atem's ministrations slowed, gazing up at his other half in questioning amusement.

"I died and bought us ten minutes or so between rounds," Yugi murmured, a lazy grin spreading across his face, thumb brushing over Kaiba's bottom lip. On a whim, his tongue flashed out, swiping the digit quickly before retreating. The action was met with a snort before the hand was taken away. "Oh, _damn_ , Até. You're on a roll," he continued, proffering his right ankle.

"Thought you were.. playing.." Kaiba managed to huff, fingernails scraping the nape of Atem's neck, egging him on further. (If he stopped now, Kaiba was going to have a fit, Holy God of the Obelisk, he should have begged for this _ages_ ago.)

"I got bored and decided to join in," he jiggled his ankle above Atem's head, "Grab my leg, I don't wanna kick Atem in his pretty face while his mouth is occupied." 

Kaiba managed a snort, another moan dropping from his lips at the tongue now swirling its way up and around his length, hips jerking slightly in response. It took him a minute (it's not hard to wonder _why_ ), but he finally grabbed Yugi's ankle, coaxing it over Atem's bobbing head so now he had the pharaoh between his legs and Yugi on his knees, just shy of straddling his lap.

He was close now, he could feel the warmth pooling in his gut, but it was Yugi's fingers guiding his hand downward that brought his attention back to the present. It seemed like he wasn't the only one sporting a _problem_ that needed to be taken care of now. His boyfriend shrugged, sliding the band of his sweats down so the garment pooled around his upper thighs, totally unabashed despite the light dusting of pink coating the arches of his cheeks.

"Do you want to?" Atem's progress had slowed considerably (gods dammit, _no_ ), and now his head was mostly clear to think about Yugi's question, violet eyes searching his as he brought Kaiba's hand within an inch or so of his own hardening arousal. (Frankly, Kaiba couldn't blame him. He could no longer see Atem, but he was sure it must have made quite the show to watch.)

Instead of answering, Kaiba ran the tips of his fingers up and down the shaft (smaller, but no one really held a candle to him anyway) and watched Yugi's breath catch in his throat, and _god_ , the sound was music to his ears. 

"Guess you have some catching up to do," Kaiba taunted, threading the fingers of his other hand through Atem's long tri-colored locks, winding them around his wrist and gripping the base tightly while the fingers of his other hand worked almost frantically in a bid to watch Yugi come undone.

"Ah, shit," Yugi breathed, burying his face in the crook of Kaiba's neck, planting teeth-filled kisses to the expanse of flesh, grabbing the hand sliding up and down his length and guiding the strokes into a more even rhythm.

Atem may have slowed his progress in getting Kaiba to climax, but he had not stopped. Now that Yugi had joined them, he seemed more willing to end their dance of tongue, lips, teeth, and the delicious friction of skin against skin.

A minute later, where all Kaiba could hear was the roar of blood pounding in his ears that seemed to scream _close, almost there, more, more, more!_ and Yugi's ceaseless moaning in the shell of his ear, the warmth pooling in his gut reached a crescendo and he belatedly realized, a second after meeting his release, that Atem had not removed his mouth, but took it all in, circling his tongue around the head in a bid to lap up every single bit of what he'd been given.

Rocking his hips into Atem's mouth (oh god, he'd _swallowed_ , was that even legal?), Kaiba slowly came down from his climax, fingers now slick as they continued to work at bringing Yugi to the same place, unwinding Atem's hair as gently as he could from around his other wrist, finally allowing the man to leave his lap and get some air.

Atem's mouth left his lap with a sound that would haunt him to his grave, and when he finally caught the CEO's eye, his lips quirked into a coy smile, tongue swiping away the last bits of moisture before wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and humming contentedly.

Now that he had one hand free, Kaiba used it to tug Yugi closer by the small of his back, still hovering on his knees over the brunet's lap and making the most _dreadful_ noises in his ear; a combination of hushed curses and stuttered endearments dropping from his lips as he rocked back and forth, hands sliding together until finally, the young King of Games came undone under his fingers.

Yugi was a _marvel_ to behold as he came; head thrown back, lips falling open, normally bright violet eyes glazed over, pupils blown wide with lust as he fell apart in Kaiba's lap, slumping forward to catch his breath as he calmed. Kaiba now had a handful (literally), and was quite possibly the most content he'd ever been in his life.

Still basking in his own afterglow, Kaiba's hand snaked around his boyfriend's waist, garnering a soft hum as his fingers rubbed circles in the skin at his hip. Atem was nowhere to be found, but the door was left ajar, so perhaps he'd gone to clean up on his own. 

Surely ten minutes had well and gone by now, and when the CEO checked the television screen, he found the others had been chatting in the game lobby, waiting on Yugi's return. He wasn't the only one to notice; Yugi himself sighed, following Kaiba's gaze briefly before he snorted, soft peals of silvery laughter leaving his lips.

"Well, that was.. _wow_." Yugi shook his head, still laughing quietly. Kaiba hummed in agreement as the fingers not stained in white came to card through his hair, brushing the sharp bangs from his eyes and generally smoothing out the uneven brown tresses.

"Something like that," he smirked, pleased at the effect his clumsy handjob had wrought. (Next time, he'd experiment, or at least not be so much in a rush to produce results.) There wasn't much time left before the nerds would wonder where their King had wandered off to, so Kaiba was going to enjoy these last few moments as much as possible.

Yugi seemed to be thinking along the same lines, bringing their lips together in a slow and languid dance, with the barest hint of tongues flashing between teeth, exchanging hushed moans and teasing caresses that really _should_ stop before things flared up again.

A moment later, Atem finally returned, hands full. Handing them each a thick paper towel, they wiped their hands and laps clean, gratefully dumping them in the trash after. Then came a wet soapy rag and finally another dry paper towel.

Yugi crawled out of Kaiba's lap a bit reluctantly, pulling the hem of his sweats up until they settled about his hips before tying the strings in a tight knot. Tossing the CEO a saucy wink, he returned to the group chat and started up another game, this time offering the controller to the pharaoh, who had once again left the room and returned, this time empty handed.

Kaiba stood, knees a bit weak, pulling up his briefs, the slide of silk against his flushed skin a welcome reprieve after the moist assault of Atem's tongue. Taking controller in hand and combing the tangles from his hair, Atem took Yugi's place while he left to use the bathroom for real. As soon as Yugi climbed back into bed, looking flustered but clean and thoroughly proud of himself, Kaiba excused himself, planning on paying the bathroom a visit as well.

Five minutes later found his arms wrapped loosely around Atem, currently situated in his lap with Yugi cuddled up against his side. Both were watching Atem dominate the playing field, picking off the terrorists one by one without breaking a sweat.

Nearly all the others had now fallen to the hail of bullets, but Atem and Bakura remained standing, vigilant in their search for the final six masked men. Yugi was playing with the fingers of his right hand, interlacing them over and over again, the soft pads of his fingers tracing idle patterns in the flesh. Kaiba found that he didn't at all mind the small, affectionate contact, giving the hand a light squeeze as he watched Bakura take down another suicide bomber. (He was quite good at this, who knew the puffball had it in him.)

It had to be well after ten by now, but he was in no hurry to leave, content to while away the hours until sleep inevitably claimed them. Once Atem had disposed of the last terrorist and the victory screen appeared, Kaiba nudged the crook of his neck with his nose, inhaling the pleasant scent and pressing teasing, tongue-filled kisses to the pulse point.

Atem stiffened, and Kaiba felt more than saw the bob of his adam's apple as he swallowed, bowing his head and restricting his access to the tanned flesh. Getting the hint, he withdrew and the pharaoh immediately relaxed, a soft sigh dropping from his lips.

"Ah, don't take it personally," Yugi explained, keeping his voice low so it wouldn't be picked up by the headset, "sometimes he just likes to give and not receive." At Kaiba's raised eyebrow, he continued. "It depends on what mood he's in, really. He's not sexually attracted to anyone, so we have to respect when he does and doesn't want to do anything."

That made sense, he supposed. If he wasn't in the mood, Kaiba would back off, just content to enjoy their company any way he could get it. Atem shot them a grateful smile before another game began. This time, Kaiba watched with interest at the way he guided the others around the map, placing explosives at strategic points of entry, dodging the flurry of bullets behind a corner, or else poking the muzzle of his gun around Ryuuji's massive shield to pick off his enemies.

The others weren't terrible, though that didn't stop most of them from dying anyway. Ishtar had returned to join the group, and he sat in a makeshift sniper's nest outside, methodically taking out enemies through windows or doors. Before long, the victory screen appeared once more, and Atem stretched, offering Kaiba the controller.

"I am switching out with Yugi again," he said into the microphone, Yugi's head darting around Kaiba's arm. Realizing what was going on, he nodded as Atem continued. "Would you like to play?"

The clock on the top of the television screen read 11:14. He had time for maybe one game before it was time to leave. Nodding, he took the proffered controller and switched spots so that he was the one in Atem's lap, the pharaoh's arms wrapped loosely around his waist as he handed the headset off to Yugi, who curled up against his side and began to chatter into the mic.

"Let's pick a different map, and I'll pick a different character this time," he tossed Kaiba a wink before focusing on the screen.

After the new map had been selected, Kaiba took his time choosing which character he wanted to play. Eventually, he picked the one with a crossbow and attachable shield. He spoke not a word as the map loaded, Yugi rattling off the plan to the others. Apparently, they were to raid Air Force One, the large plane of the American President. 

With Yugi giving the orders, Kaiba expertly carried them out without complaint. If the others were to find out he was currently sitting in bed with the King of Games, all sorts of wild accusations would fly, and then the dragon really would be out of the bag. So, swallowing his pride, the CEO made short work of the game. In less than twenty minutes, the victory screen had appeared and the resulting grin spreading across his face as he handed the controller back to Yugi was absurdly smug.

"Okay, I think Temu and I are gonna head to bed. Good night everybody!" 

He barely heard the chorus of farewells through the mic, and when the television had been turned off, moonlight once again spilled over the carpet and the edge of the bed, casting a serene glow over the three men as they shifted positions again.

Yugi once again draped himself across Kaiba's lap, snaking an arm around his neck and clamping his thighs down on his waist. Atem did not move from his position, other than resting his chin on the CEO's shoulder and giving his waist a firm squeeze.

"I could probably fall asleep here," Yugi murmured, burying his face into the broad chest in front of him.

Atem chuckled, placing a warm kiss to his partner's brow over Kaiba's shoulder.

"Perhaps another time, _mery-i_. Our day has come to a close."

He was right, but that didn't stop the CEO from wrapping his arms tightly around the man in his lap and burying his face in the plum-colored curls. A soft sigh left his lips, causing the golden fringe to dance around the crown of his head before settling. Kaiba wanted the peace to last, even if he had to give it up in just three day's time. (He refused to think about it, refused to even consider the possibility of a lasting relationship when they _still_ hadn't had the chance to talk their feelings through.)

"Aw, okay," Yugi huffed, drawing back to place butterfly kisses up the length of Kaiba's neck, earning a squeeze to his backside for the trouble. Hot breath fanned over his left earlobe before being gently pulled and sucked between the pharaoh's teeth.

A sharp intake of breath mingled with Yugi's wind chime giggles, and Kaiba had to restrain himself from pinning them both to mattress. (Perhaps another time.) 

"Did you brush your teeth, Other Me?" Yugi's question cut through his burgeoning arousal and the teeth mercifully left his ear.

"Twice," he informed, drawing away from Kaiba's ear, "with mouth wash in between."

"Good," Yugi smiled, sitting up in his lap to look Kaiba in the eyes (and sliding forward rather unnecessarily so that their chests were touching and he still had a handful of ass). "Guess it's time to say good night, then."

Regretfully, he let Yugi climb out of his lap for the second time that night, feeling Atem withdraw from behind him. He took his time getting to his feet, retrieving his phone from the desk and shoving it back in his pocket before turning to follow his boyfriends back into the sitting room. His briefcase was right where he left it, and before long, he found himself downstairs, exchanging shoes with two pairs of eyes boring into his back.

His hand was on the doorknob before a tan arm entered his view, placing his hand on the door and holding it shut.

"One moment, please."

Kaiba blinked, locking eyes with Atem and giving him his undivided attention.

"Yugi and I would like to know," he continued, jerking his chin to indicate the man standing just out of Kaiba's line of sight, "if this is something you think might last beyond our agreement."

He'd just been asked the question the CEO himself was trying to avoid. Kaiba clutched the handle of his briefcase more securely, tipping his chin up and steeling his resolve.

"I don't know. That's something I need to think about."

Atem said nothing, only nodding and withdrawing his hand. Stepping forward until they were toe to toe, the pharaoh tipped his head back, wine red gaze zeroing in on his own icy sapphire. 

It was like someone held a magnet to them, the poles snapping together, and fixing them in place. 

Kaiba didn't think, he just _acted_ , bringing their lips together in a sloppy rendition of a kiss. It had too much tongue, but he wasn't complaining, and neither was Atem. Kaiba reluctantly pulled back, the taste of mint on his tongue, straightening from the odd looming position he'd taken to meet his boyfriend halfway. (Sometimes being tall had its disadvantages.)

"Well, don't take too long, okay?" Yugi asked, laying a hand on his forearm and standing on tiptoe ( _shrimp_ ). "We only have three days left, after all."

That fact was not lost on him. After giving the pipsqueak his own good bye kiss (something he was coming to expect and even _like_ ), Kaiba departed the Game Shop in better spirits than he'd arrived.

Yugi and Atem stood in the doorway to watch him leave, waving as he pulled out of the drive and onto the deserted street. 

He was halfway home before the sound of wind chimes rang in the enclosed space. One he was at a red light, Kaiba dug out his phone, impatiently flicking open the app and keeping an eye on the light.

Kuribonbon: actually, that reminds me  
KingofGames: Hm?  
Kuribonbon: we gotta get kaiba to watch yoi

 _This_ is what they chose to bother him with? He had no idea what Yugi was on about, even scrolling up to their previous conversation from the other day didn't help.

BlueEyesCEO: Watch what?  
Kuribonbon: gay figure skaters

Oh, right. That thing Mazaki and Bakura couldn't get enough of a couple months ago. (It's not that he didn't care, you rarely ever saw gay relationships so healthily depicted in popular media, especially in Japan. He just didn't have the _time_.)

BlueEyesCEO: I doubt there's time.  
Kuribonbon: can we make time? :c  
BlueEyesCEO: I'm not spending the remaining three days watching anime.  
Kuribonbon: and i dont want to spend it not flirting at work

Okay, so the shrimp had a point. They couldn't really do anything at work outside of his office, and even that was a stretch. Atem's proposition had some merit, though.

KingofGames: Could we perhaps schedule a three-way duel?  
BlueEyesCEO: What's in it for the winner?  
Kuribonbon: good question

Now they were speaking his language. He was itching to build a new deck and try out a series of simulations with it against some of their older decks to see if it could measure up. With newer cards came newer possibilities of victory.

KingofGames: How about the winner gets to be in charge of how our last day of the week is spent together?  
Kuribonbon: ooh, thats a good one!!  
Kuribonbon: kaiba, you in??

Clearly Atem would always be the sensible one in this relationship ( _don't_ think about that, you'll only set yourself up for disappointment). It was a pretty straight forward deal. As he pulled into the manor drive, passing the night guard on duty at the gate, Kaiba wasted no time in replying once he'd parked and made it into the foyer.

BlueEyesCEO: Only if we can all agree on what to do.  
KingofGames: That sounds fair.  
Kuribonbon: sweet

With that out of the way, and goodbyes a distant memory (he'd be dreaming about the feel of lips going down on him later in _great_ detail), Kaiba climbed the stairs, got ready for bed (checking to make sure Mokuba had kept his word and was indeed sleeping), and flopped onto his pillow, he was out like a light ten minutes later.

***

_Fully sheathed and sweating, Yugi and Atem's names dropping like a breathless litany from his lips--_

A distant ringing cut through the air, dissolving the image before he could solidify it in his memory.

Blinking the sunlight from his eyes, Kaiba sat up irritably, rubbing the sleep from his face and patting the night stand for his phone, which continued to ring incessantly until he finally swiped a thumb to accept the call, bringing it to his ear.

" _What_ ," he growled, pissed that his dreams had been interrupted by a stupid phone call.

There was a pause as the voice on the other end relayed their message, breathless and frantic, and all the color drained from Kaiba's face in one swift motion, his voice deadly quiet as he finally found the will to respond.

"What the _fuck_ do you mean Yugi's been kidnapped?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep an eye out for next chapter. The angst is Coming. Obviously, the rating will now have to be upped from T to M, and I have no one to blame but myself. 
> 
> I retconned their last text exchange to this chapter, as I couldn't fit it into the last one. I think it makes more sense where it is now, though. (At least for the purposes of this fic.) 
> 
> (I cringe every time I type aibou, which is why I don't use it much. I know it's canon, but I'm more partial to sappier endearments, sue me.....)
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has left kudos/comments so far, ya'll keep me alive and writing. <3
> 
> And now I'll be off to my bunker while this bomb drops.


	6. Day Five: Dragon Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once upon a time, there was a mighty beast known only as the Dragon.
> 
> The Dragon wasn't the friendliest sort, but if you ever wanted a word, he would be there to listen, if grudgingly.
> 
> One day, someone trespassed in the Dragon's territory and stole his most precious treasure.
> 
> Furious beyond all belief, the Dragon set out to reclaim the boy with jewel bright amethyst eyes who was his companion.
> 
> Joined by the mighty King of the Sun, the Dragon would take his revenge on the Dark Woman and bring peace to the land once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I named this chapter after the Equip Spell Card. I'm a giant nerd, sue me. 
> 
> The new metaphor for this chapter is kinda obvious. I'm full of them, and I am not sorry.
> 
> I kid you not, this chapter is straight up 13k words _plus_. Also, according to a word counting website I use, this chapter is on a college reading level. I've never gotten that before, so it was super flattering to see. I don't expect any comments tonight, but if you do manage to finish this monster of an update, lemme know what you thought?
> 
> This took so long to write, I had to resort to putting Yuri on Ice on repeat for _hours_ on end to get it done. The duel was fun to write, I just wish I had gotten this done sooner lmao.
> 
> So, without anymore babbling from me, please enjoy! <3

Seto Kaiba was beside himself with fury. Someone had kidnapped Yugi Mutou. That someone was going to pay _dearly_.

"I mean what I said, Kaiba," Atem's breathless baritone diverted him from thoughts of disembowelment (for the moment). "As I told you, Yugi was making his usual early morning weekly grocery run to the store just two blocks away. A dark-haired woman approached him just as he was leaving. Thinking her intentions pure, he allowed her to assist him with carrying a bag. She then steered him into a nearby alley and they both vanished. The store clerk saw the whole thing from behind the counter."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the raging fury that had surged up from a place so deeply buried under numerous layers of refined control, he'd rocked back onto his heels with the force of it. There was no sense in getting emotional. He only had Atem's word so far, but he was willing to bet a considerable amount of money that the pharaoh was right.

It wasn't much to go on, but it was a start. For the moment, damage control had to be established.

"Where are you right now?" he demanded, wasting no time in getting out of bed and throwing on some clothes. (Today was going to be a trench coat day. Not just any trench coat day. The _white_ trench coat. He wasn't fucking around this time.)

"I am inside the store as we speak."

"Get back to the Game Shop and wait for me there."

Kaiba hung up before he could give the man time to protest. Practically sprinting through his morning routine, he realized only after a glance at his alarm clock that he had overslept. It was eight-thirty. Ideally, he should have been at the office by now, but that was obviously out of the question today.

Walking across the hall, he banged unceremoniously on Mokuba's door. Much grumbling and cursing filtered through the door before it was opened by a pajama-clad Mokuba, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and giving his older brother the stink eye.

"Did a Man Eater Bug bite you or something? What gives?"

He was obviously annoyed at the rude wake up call, and Kaiba hated to burst his bubble so soon, but it was imperative that he act as quickly as possible. Tact would have to take a backseat to bluntness.

"Yugi has been kidnapped."

Seto Kaiba was not known for beating around the bush. The first ever man he'd made a deal with would undoubtedly call him a devil child. In America, was known as The Dragon of Wall Street. Such titles did not come from being _nice_.

Bewildered, Mokuba followed his older brother to the stairs, content to remain silent until they reached the landing.

"But _why_?" he asked, pausing to stare down at his brother, who just kept walking, descending the stairs in long, purposeful strides.

" _That_ , Mokuba, is what I'm going to find out." He was halfway across the polished marble floors before he called back, "Be ready in ten minutes. We'll get breakfast on the way."

He didn't look back to see if his orders were obeyed. His little brother, though a teenager now, knew all too well Kaiba's stance on kidnapping. He'd suffered the same fate many times over during their teenage years, and likely wasn't too keen on repeating the process.

Ten minutes later, the sleek black sedan was warmed up and idling by the front steps, Kaiba in the back seat on his phone. Atem had called him back with more chilling news.

"I'm back at the Game Shop." He sounded much more calm. Kaiba thought, given the situation, the pharaoh would lose his regal head. On the contrary, now that he was back among familiar territory, his voice was low and controlled, much like Kaiba's own. "There's something else you need to know."

At that moment, Mokuba piled into the seat beside him, looking frazzled. Shutting the door, Isono slid smoothly into the driver's seat and edged them down the long drive and off the manor grounds.

"What else?" he asked, all traces of patience gone.

"I was sent a picture along with an attached message."

So, someone thought they could make a quick yen by ransoming off Japan's King of Games. _Wonderful_.

"Forward the message."

While he waited for the text alert, the CEO gave Isono directions to the Game Shop. They were unnecessary, but he felt like barking orders and venting his spleen on someone. The bodyguard just happened to be the poor sod unlucky enough to be the chosen victim.

"You will not like it anymore than I," Atem cautioned before the custom ringtone chimed, the swift gurgling movements of a river preceding the desired message. (It was the best he could do on such short notice.)

Taking the phone away from his ear and hitting the necessary button to check his texts, what he saw in that one message made his heart throb, hand clenched on his phone until his knuckles turned white.

A defiant looking Yugi Mutou stared up at him from the picture. His defiant expression was not what immediately caught the CEO's eye. A thick iron collar wound around his neck, a silver chain threaded through a front loop. His hands clutched the fabric of his pants as tightly as Kaiba was now holding onto his phone. Shirtless and glaring at the camera, Yugi's normally bright and mischievous eyes were narrowed in loathing.

The picture was cropped, and nothing of the dark room he was in stuck out. Yugi was seated in a stiff-backed wooden chair, thick iron cuffs securing his ankles to the chain threaded through the collar's loop. Honestly, he looked like a drowned rat; his normally spiky or slicked back hair hung to his shoulders. The chair sat in a large puddle; evidently someone thought it would be funny to spray him with water. His carefully applied eyeliner ran in dark rivulets down his cheeks, as though he'd been crying, but Kaiba knew better.

He'd only seen Yugi cry once, and that was because he'd nearly killed Kaiba in their first ever Duelist Kingdom match. Back then, he thought the boy weak, but over the years, his mind had slowly changed. 

Yugi Mutou was anything but weak; he'd simply been too strong for far too long.

"Kaiba," Atem called, probably for the fifth or sixth time, jolting him once more out of a murderous urge.

"Who?" He didn't have the control for full sentences yet. They were nearly there now. He could just make out the green turtle-shaped roof of the Kame Game Shop above the tree line. He didn't even process the food being set in his lap by Mokuba, although the warmth from the bag was steadily seeping into the fabric of his slacks.

"I don't know, but I need your help to find him." Atem paused, a rush of static hissing down the line as the once pharaoh let out a deep breath. "Please, Kaiba. There is no one else to turn to."

Atem didn't even need to ask; Kaiba was already mentally running through his contacts with the Domino Police force.

"Fine, you have it." He refrained from saying you have me, afraid it could be misinterpreted at such a tense time.

"Thank you," another burst of static hissed down the line as the pharaoh sighed again before continuing. "Did you see the message attached?"

Message? Right, there was one attached to the picture. Taking the phone once again away from his ear, Kaiba brought up the message. There were only three lines of text; his blood ran cold as he read the threatening words.

**The world will know of your preference for men before sundown today.**  
**Do nothing, and your boy toy gets to go free unharmed. Call the cops, or interfere at all, and he dies.**  
**It's your move.**

Kaiba snorted. They obviously didn't know who they were dealing with here. 

"Yeah, just saw it," he replied, realizing he'd left Atem hanging. "We're pulling up now."

"All right. You may pull around back." Atem sounded as though he'd been jolted out of his thoughts, and for a moment, Kaiba was on the edge of reassuring him before he was cut off. "See you in a moment."

The line went dead and Kaiba huffed, ending the call. There was a warmth in his lap, but it was not one of the spiky-haired noodles. A bag of food from one of the fast food restaurants nearby sat in his lap; now that he thought about it, Mokuba was probably responsible. The sound of chewing from his right confirmed it.

After instructing Isono to pull around back and park behind Atem's car, both Kaiba's exited the vehicle, food bags in hand, flanked by a silent Isono. As it was still early on a Thursday morning, there were probably no customers, but the elder Kaiba wasn't taking any chances today. As he had his hands full, the handle of his briefcase clenched in one hand and the bag of food in the other, Mokuba was the one who knocked on the back door.

After a few moments where the only sound came from the streets around them - passing cars, kids on their way to school, the birds calling to each other from the trees - the door finally opened to reveal a troubled Sugoroku Mutou.

"Kaiba, is that you?" he asked, glancing from the brothers to their bodyguard and back again.

"Has Atem told you?" Kaiba asked immediately, forgoing any polite greeting he might have given under better circumstances. 

"About Yugi? Yes, he did." As if suddenly remembering his manners, the old man blinked suddenly, stepping aside to let his guests in. "Sorry, please come in."

"Thank you!" Mokuba piped up from behind his elder brother, who had already brushed passed and was in the process of switching out his shoes. 

Once they were let upstairs into the sitting room, they found a furious Atem pacing back and forth from one end of the room to the other, jaw clenched and arms crossed tightly over his chest. The floor shook slightly with each pass by the television, which was turned on to the morning news left on background volume. (If anything about Yugi were to show up, it would not likely happen until later. Still, it was a smart move to keep an eye on the local media.)

At the sound of their arrival, Atem finally stopped pacing, turning towards the door. Swallowing thickly, he made as though to move towards them, but seemed to think better of it, aborting the action and standing stock still, fingernails digging into his upper arms. Kaiba could spot tiny red crescents in the flesh, likely from repeatedly clutching himself so tightly that he ended up drawing blood. 

"Kaiba," he murmured, and the CEO flinched as though struck. He sounded like a man who had already given up. (Like _hell_ that was going to happen.)

"You called him in to help?" Sugoroku asked, and the moment was broken. 

"Yes, he can get in touch with others who could lend us a hand," he began, tearing his burning red-violet eyes from his boyfriend to focus on Yugi's grandfather, who was now ambling towards him to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Can't you?" he added, gaze pleading.

"I can, but we need a place to work from."

He was already intruding, but he couldn't keep this to himself; Atem had every right to be in on this. He was Yugi's boyfriend, too. (Had been for much longer, but now wasn't the time to dwell on that.)

"Here, I'll clear up the kitchen," Sugoroku murmured, squeezing Atem's shoulder before heading off into the next room.

"Mokuba, go help." The command was met with skepticism, but at the look on his brother's face, he nodded, accepting the bag of food he had yet to touch, and followed the old man out of the room. "I need a minute," Kaiba continued, flicking his gaze over to Isono, who had yet to say a word. 

"Yes, Seto-sama," he replied. With a hesitant glance at Atem, he took the briefcase from his master and followed after the younger Kaiba.

As soon as his bodyguard disappeared behind the kitchen door, the CEO sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to retain some sense of calm before the inevitable storm. A warm hand, smaller than his own, gently tugged the hand from his face, entwining their fingers and gripping tightly. Finding himself face to face with Atem, he blinked at the sudden contact, but did not let go.

"We _will_ find him," Atem assured softly, tugging him close so their bodies stood flush against each other. "When we find him, we _will_ make his captor pay."

His voice was low so the others in the kitchen did not catch wind of the conversation, but it rang with all the authority of the ancient pharaoh he once was. Past lives notwithstanding, Kaiba knew he was right, and was only mildly surprised he shared his boyfriend's sentiment. Rising on his tiptoes, Atem did not break eye contact as he drew nearer. A mere three inches separated them now, and it was up to him to shorten the distance. 

Unsure exactly what Atem was looking for - reassurance, affirmation, or a grounding presence to sustain him through the ordeal - Kaiba was clueless. Kissing him would be a risk with his grandfather, Mokuba, and Isono all in the other room. True, no one could see them, but was that a risk he was willing to take?

(The answer should have been obvious, really. Atem was staring up at him through those thick lashes of his, expectantly and with a glimmer of determination in those wine red eyes of his that was fucking _killing_ him to look at. The irony of comparing it to staring directly into the sun was not lost on him.)

They didn't have _time_ for this, but Kaiba realized that now, more than anything, Atem _needed_ him. Needed his help, and needed the strength to get through this. Strength he had plenty of, strength he could give, and of his own free will.

Closing the remaining few inches between them, he brought their lips together in a brief but heated dance, the clashing of teeth and quick flashes of tongue causing a warmth to pool in his gut. It was not unsatisfying, though if Kaiba had his way, Atem would be on the couch and writhing beneath him, sweating and calling his name in a hushed, exultant whisper. (Later, _much_ later, possibly accompanied by Yugi.)

Conscious of the others in the next room, Kaiba pulled away and took a step back out of Atem's space, holding the man at arm's length. He felt much calmer now; however, his anger had not abated. It simmered below the surface like an ancient slumbering beast, waiting for the chance to rise up and wreak havoc once more.

"Thank you," Atem murmured, giving his hand one last squeeze before he let go.

The beast in him purred, content for the moment. Giving a stiff nod, he followed his boyfriend into the kitchen. Mokuba sat at the table, an array of breakfast food laid out in front of him. Isono stood stiffly behind him, having set his boss's briefcase on the floor beside his little brother's chair. Sugoroku sat across from them, wringing his hands and frowning. Upon their entrance, his head shot up, faded plum eyes shooting a pleading look the CEO's way.

Situating himself in the empty chair beside his little brother (who shot him an almost knowing look but thankfully said nothing), Kaiba took the laptop from his briefcase and powered it on. Atem sat next to Yugi's grandfather, laying a reassuring hand on the old man's shoulder.

"Do you have a plan?" Sugoroku asked, looking from one Kaiba to the next.

"Of a sort," Kaiba replied, taking out his phone and plugging it into the laptop by a tiny cable. "I'm going to track Yugi's phone. We'll be able to find him that way."

Atem sighed and shook his head.

"I'm afraid that will not work."

"Of course it will!" Mokuba piped up, having finished with his meal. "All Seto has to do is access the GPS software, and we'll know _exactly_ where Yugi is."

Again, Atem shook his regal head, golden fringe dancing. Without a word, he shoved a hand in his jean's pocket and took out something small and rectangular, placing it on the table before them.

It was a phone. A phone with the KC logo on the back, surrounded by tiny clusters of miniature Kuriboh stickers, both with, and without wings.

_Yugi's phone._

"Figures," Kaiba muttered, having seen that same phone enough times to know who owned it. (Plus, the Kuribohs were a dead giveaway. _Honestly_.) "What about his duel disk?" he asked on a whim.

"No, I'm afraid not."

Another dead end. That didn't stop the CEO from typing away at his laptop, trying desperately to think of any way he might be able to track where his boyfriend might be.

"Do the others know?" Mokuba asked, posing his question to Atem.

"Yes, but they have not seen or heard from him since yesterday." Taking his hand from Sugoroku's shoulder, he turned those burning red-violet eyes Mokuba's way. "Although, now that you mention them, I have an idea."

Kaiba knew where this was going, and the sound of his fingers dancing rapidly across the keyboard paused, fixing the pharaoh with a stern gaze. He was going to refuse whatever thought had crossed Atem's mind, though he didn't like taking away the man's hope. 

"Whatever it is, we can't involve them."

He was going to be firm on this; not because he didn't like Yugi's friends, but because if they _did_ get involved, Yugi could end up getting killed. (He would never forgive himself, or them, if anything happened to him. Not _just_ because they were technically dating, but because someone who started to actually _matter _to him had been taken from him.) The beast in him trembled at the thought.__

"Yugi's friend Honda is a deputy with the Domino Police, maybe he could help us?" Sugoroku suggested, casting a hopeful glance the CEO's way.

Kaiba shook his head, fingers once more flying across the keys.

"We can't involve the cops, or anyone else for that matter. If we do.." he trailed off, unable to finish the thought, but he didn't need to. He'd made his point.

"May I still voice my idea?" Atem asked, almost testily. At Kaiba's conceding nod, he continued. "Our friends still need to be informed. I spoke to them earlier before I called you, and they must have questions."

"They'll want to get involved no matter what you tell them." It was a testament to their relationship that he did not resort to calling them geeks or nerds. (Not aloud, anyway.)

"Then we can reiterate the no police rule. They could have some ideas of their own, you never know."

Before Kaiba could open his mouth to form a retort, Mokuba spoke up, hand raised in the air as though he were at school asking for permission to speak.

"I'll do it."

Kaiba snorted, but Atem looked thoughtfully at the younger brother who seemed eager to be of some use.

"Perhaps that is not a bad idea," Atem murmured, finger pressed to his lips in thought. "I could add him to the group chat and he would be able to give the others updates on our investigation."

Kaiba spared a moment to think about the proposition. It would keep Mokuba out of their hair while they did all the leg work, and it would give him something to do to occupy his time. Not to mention he would be within sight at all times, which was a bonus.

"Fine," he conceded, jerking his chin at Mokuba, who pumped his fist in the air in victory. "but only if he tells them the bare _minimum_ of what they need to know."

"Agreed."

While Atem was busy asking for Mokuba's number and getting him added to the group chat, Kaiba disabled all chat notifications until further notice. He had a job to do, and could scarcely afford distractions right now. (Truthfully, the kiss had been _slightly_ distracting, but he afforded himself that small luxury, using the memory of warm lips pressing urgently against his as a means to get him through the day.)

When he'd gotten the go ahead that the nerd herd had been informed, Kaiba concentrated all his efforts on tracing the photograph and attached message Atem had been sent. Borrowing his phone, Kaiba attempted to trace it back to the source, with little success. All the virtual trail told him was that it had bounced from cell tower to cell tower all over Japan, making it nearly impossible to isolate.

He even showed the picture to Sugoroku, who scowled at the contents, but could make nothing of the location. The backdrop, a blank wall of stone, wasn't much to go on. There were no visible windows, and the dim lighting was centered on Yugi himself. The chair bore identical iron cuffs to those around his neck and ankles, and the beast stirred fitfully, phantom tingles blooming just below the scars on his own wrists and around his neck, causing the CEO to shudder in barely suppressed rage.

"This is going to take time," he addressed Sugoroku, who was restlessly pacing up and down the kitchen. "I can have my security team search the city, but it will do little good unless we have something more concrete to go on."

It had been two hours, and for all of Kaiba's work, nothing he'd tried had yielded any results. Whoever had taken Yugi had done their homework well.

"I am just surprised it has taken this long," Sugoroku replied, wringing his hands and coming to a stop before the kitchen table. "Have you still not been able to trace that picture back to its source?"

"If I had, you would have been the first to know."

Before the old man could reply, Atem's phone, still plugged into Kaiba's laptop, chimed. It was the default sound for a text message. A frown marring his regal features, Atem came to stand just behind the CEO, who took the liberty of bringing up the text and angling the device so both could see what had been sent.

It was another message with a picture attached.

**Look familiar? Perhaps the public ought to know just whose products they've been buying. Not a very good move on your part.**

Exchanging guarded looks, Atem leaned over to press the screen, hitting the attached hyperlink and bringing up the next photo.

The beast in Kaiba _roared_ at the sight, rustling uncomfortably and causing his chest to tighten almost painfully.

In the picture, Yugi's bedroom stared back him, moonlight spilling over the floor and the three figures sitting on and beside the large bed. It had been taken at the very moment of Kaiba's climax; his head thrown back, lips slightly parted and eyes staring sightlessly up at the ceiling, Atem's mouth still wrapped around his length, Yugi grinding against him, their hands locked between their bodies. The image conjured up heady memories, but Kaiba had no time to indulge, tossing them immediately in the Box to be dealt with later.

Next to him, Atem stared wordlessly at the picture, jaw clenched tightly shut, eyes burning with rage. The same rage Kaiba himself felt.

"What is it?" Mokuba asked, glancing from his brother to Atem, shuffling uneasily at the looks on their faces.

"They're _taunting_ us," Atem growled, throwing himself from Kaiba's side to pace about the kitchen, fists clenched angrily at his sides.

Kaiba relentlessly threw himself into tracking the source of this picture, too. He had just about as much success as the first time, but at least he knew they were somewhere within the country. They hadn't yet had time to spirit Yugi away to a far off place where Kaiba couldn't reach him.

Sugoroku watched his grandson's other half, tracking his progress from one end of the kitchen to the other before finally addressing the rather pissed off CEO.

"Was it another picture?" he asked, noting the way a muscle beneath Kaiba's eye twitched, probably in annoyance.

"Yes."

"Can I s--"

"No."

Kaiba quickly cut him off, turning the phone over so the screen was now face down on the table.

"It concerns my grandson, I think I have a _right_ to know these things!" he protested, facing Kaiba across the table.

Atem sighed, pausing in the middle of the kitchen to bury his face in his hands. Apparently, his rage had been short lived, and Kaiba was once again reminded of a man who had given up the fight before it had even really begun. (The beast _seethed_ , a semblance of a tail thrashing before it once more settled.)

The CEO sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Tell him," he muttered, directing his words to Atem though he did not look up to gauge his boyfriend's reaction.

"Shouldn't we wait for Yugi's input?" The question rang clearly in the space, so he must have moved his hands away as to not muffle his voice.

"No. He needs to know _why_ this is happening."

Finally locking eyes with the pharaoh, he tried to convey a sense of urgency in his gaze. _We don't have time,_ it said. _Just get it over with._

Already, Kaiba was mentally exhausted. Though he'd slept in this morning, fatigue began to settle in his bones, a headache blossoming just behind his eyes that would eventually need to be dealt with.

"Very well," said Atem, going to place a guiding hand on Sugoroku's back and leading him from the kitchen. "Let's go into the living room, you'll be more comfortable there."

Mokuba's hand waved in front of his vision, blocking the retreating figures from sight.

"Nii-sama, you need to eat," he urged, pushing a plate of lukewarm food across the table, setting it in front of him.

He half-heartedly obeyed, spooning food into his mouth he barely tasted. 

Kaiba would soon come to regret instructing Atem to tell Yugi's grandfather about their intimate relationship with his grandson. He had to endure two hours of arguments and raised voices, trying in vain to get work done while the computer ran search after search on the first message they'd received some hours previous.

A vague description of a dark haired woman was practically nothing; Japan was full of them. Still, he input her description into a facial recognition program, just to be safe.

Mokuba winced, trying to occupy his time with a game on Duel Links, which had released a few months ago, rather than focus on Sugoroku's (justified) anger. (If that was going to be everyone's response, they could forget telling Yugi's friends.)

\---

Eventually, they came back into the kitchen, Atem avoiding Sugoroku's eyes as the old man flopped into the chair across the table, looking more tired than Kaiba had ever seen him. Kaiba knew the second their eyes met over his laptop that he would be subjected to a lecture. He wasn't in the mood, but it was better to get things aired out now rather than later.

"So, it's only for a week, eh?" he asked, scrutinizing the CEO with deceptively sharp eyes.

"That was the agreement, yes."

He caught Atem's attention and felt like he understood the wariness now swirling in the depths of piercing, kohl-lined eyes.

(To his credit, Isono neither reacted nor spoke, and Kaiba was grateful.)

Sugoroku snorted, leaning forward to regard the CEO, his gaze unwavering.

"Do you care about my grandson?"

The question was an easy one, but the answer was a bit more difficult to articulate than he thought. Yes, he cared about what happened to Yugi, but what Sugoroku was asking required more than a simple yes or no. Still, he had to give the old man _something_. Silence spoke louder than words, after all.

"Yes, I care for Yugi." In his own strange way, he _did_ care. He didn't want the man to die, and he surely felt something _more_ , he just lacked the proper words to express those feelings.

Sugoroku seemed mollified and said no more on the matter. Atem sighed, relieved, though Kaiba was sure Yugi would get a similar earful when he returned, safe and sound.

Some minutes later, Atem spoke up, likely trying to defuse the tension that had settled in the air, thick and viscous.

"Mokuba, how are the others faring?"

Before the younger Kaiba could open his mouth, the laptop beeped, drawing all eyes to the machine. Fingers flying across the keys, the CEO brought up the program he'd been using to pinpoint the picture's origins. Using everything from structural analysis to the reflections in Yugi's eyes, he was surprised to find the results staring back at him. For a moment, all he could do was glare at the screen before his mouth spread into a vicious grin. (The beast within sniffed the air hopefully, waiting for a target to present itself.)

"I know who has Yugi."

A chorus of shocked voices rang out, reverberating off the wooden cabinets until Kaiba held up a hand for silence. The command was reluctantly obeyed, and only when he had their full attention did he turn the screen towards the others.

"Meet Satomi Kaiba."

A silence so profound fell, he could hear his own heart beating. A portrait of a beautiful woman gazed sternly out at them from a driver's license. Thick, wavy dark hair fell to her shoulders, hazel eyes narrowed slightly in a prematurely lined face. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, although she would undoubtedly be older now, as the photo was ten years old.

"I've never heard of her," whispered Mokuba, staring avidly at the woman's face. "Who is she?"

"Gozaburo's ex-wife." Kaiba ignored the shock and surprise mirrored three fold, turning the laptop screen back towards him and reading off the history printed there. "She left our step-father after Noah's accident. She never forgave him for it, and apparently she now lives in Okinawa, alone."

" _That's_ who has Yugi?" Sugoroku asked lamely, as though unable to comprehend this turn of events.

"We never had anything to do with her, and I didn't even know she existed until today."

Atem chewed on a thumbnail, eyes downcast and glaring daggers at the tabletop. No one thought to refute his claim, so Kaiba assumed they believed him. ( _Hoped_ is more like.) Now that they had something to go on, it was going to be a lot easier to track the woman down and demand she release Yugi.

"How did you find her?" Atem asked quietly, finally meeting his eyes.

"She took the picture of Yugi. I checked the reflection of light in Yugi's eyes and cross-referenced it with a facial recognition database."

It was a simple process, but something nagged at the back of the CEO's mind. It was almost like she _wanted_ to be found.

"Can I tell the others?" Mokuba asked, phone out and thumbs poised over the tiny keyboard.

"Only that we have a starting point and nothing more."

Mokuba knew better than to disobey his brother at such a crucial point in the investigation. Besides, they would know everything, just after the fact. Kaiba returned his attention to the laptop while his little brother informed Yugi's friends of the progress they'd made.

It was only after one o'clock, but he intended to have Yugi back by sundown. He was confident that he would get his boyfriend back safely, and hopefully he could keep his professional reputation intact after all was said and done.

"Seto," Mokuba looked up from his phone, gazing uncertainly at his older brother. "Am I allowed to tell them about the blackmail?"

Kaiba shrugged, a minute dip of the shoulders. Honestly, the squad knowing why Yugi was targeted was the least of his worries right now. He was currently on the phone with his security team, ordering them to check into Satomi Kaiba's last known address and contacts.

A few minutes later, Mokuba looked up from his phone again.

"Seto, Mai had an idea."

"I'm sure she did," Kaiba snorted, hanging up the phone and turning back to the laptop.

"No, listen!" Mokuba began, turning to fully face his brother and give him his undivided attention. "She thinks we should beat them to the punch."

"What do you mean?" Atem asked, intrigued in spite of himself.

"Okay, just hear me out." When Mokuba was sure he had everyone's attention, he continued. "What if we hold like a press conference or something, and let everyone present know that you're gay?"

The suggestion was met with equal looks of confusion from Sugoroku and Atem, but Kaiba knew where this was going, and did not like it. (Again, not because it came from one of the duel squad, but because he was annoyed that he hadn't even considered the suggestion himself.)

"Why would I _want_ to do that?" Kaiba countered, folding his arms across his broad chest.

"Well, if you do it yourself instead of Satomi revealing your secret, it will have way less of an impact." Mokuba sighed, shooting Atem a guilty look. "Remember when Yugi and Atem came out?"

"It _was_ rather.. unpleasant for awhile," Atem admitted, shifting his weight from one foot to the next.

"Yeah, but eventually people stopped caring, didn't they?" Mokuba looked hopeful now, glancing from Atem to his big brother and back again.

"Not that it was any of their business to begin with," Sugoroku huffed, folding his arms.

Atem's lips twitched as though he were fighting a smile, the first positive sign of emotion he'd shown all day.

"Yes, they did. We did not lose our title, and eventually people learned to accept us for who we are, and not who our bed mates happen to be."

Kaiba shook his head, unfolding his arms. Again, it wasn't _that_ bad of an idea, but if he was going to do it, it needed to be arranged today. They only had so much time before the sun would set. He sighed, sounding just as defeated as Atem had earlier and grabbed his phone.

"Fine, I'll set everything up."

\---

An hour later, after many _very_ frustrating phone calls to the newspaper, local news station, and one awkward phone call to the police station to secure a venue and traffic cops to redirect traffic, everything was settled. (Unfortunately, Honda answered the phone, and he spent ten useless minutes arguing with the man before he agreed to be the one to redirect traffic for the impromptu event.)

It was now after two o'clock, only four more hours until sunset. Things were looking up, but Kaiba wouldn't celebrate until Satomi was dealt with and Yugi brought back home where he _belonged_. (The beast whined, wanting back what was _his_.)

Once everything had been settled, Kaiba began getting things together in preparation. A small argument broke out about who would go and who would be left behind to hold down the fort. Eventually, Sugoroku offered to watch Mokuba while Atem and Kaiba attended the press conference. Relieved, he instructed the boy to keep an eye on the laptop while he was away. It was currently monitoring security feeds from every notable building in the city. If they spotted anyone fitting Satomi or Yugi's description, he would immediately be notified. (Chances were slim, but he wanted every avenue covered.)

Pocketing their phones (Atem snagging Yugi's on a whim and shoving it in his back pocket), he and the pharaoh, flanked by Isono, made their way out to the car. Sliding smoothly into the driver's seat, the faithful bodyguard waited for instructions on where to take his passengers before setting off. As an after thought, he brought up the sound proof, tinted divider that separated the front area from the back.

Once the soundproof barrier was in place, Kaiba let out a frustrated sigh, digging his fingers into the back of his neck in a poor imitation of a massage. Warm hands encircled his, gently nudging them away. Murmuring his thanks, Kaiba sat, head bowed as Atem's hands steadily worked out the tension knot at the base of his skull. (The beast _purred_ , arching into the contact before settling down comfortably.)

Once his boyfriend seemed satisfied, the fingers graduated to scraping gently at the fine, pointed hairs at the nape of his neck. A pleased hum left Kaiba's throat as the fingers swept through his hair, sweeping the tresses back and out of his eyes, only to have them fall back into place.

"You don't have to groom me like a mother hen," he grumbled, but did not lift a hand to stop the attention.

"You need to look presentable," Atem admonished, tugging on a lock of chestnut brown hair before his hands strayed down to the collar of his trench coat. "and I am _not_ a mother hen."

"Then don't act like one."

Atem snorted, sitting up to bump their foreheads together. Neither moved to bridge the gap between their lips, but there was no need. The small bit of affection had sated the beast for the moment (had _preened_ under Atem's touch), and judging from the scenery flashing by the tinted window, they were nearly at the press conference anyway.

"We'll get Yugi back," he assured, gazing down unblinkingly into the pharaoh's eyes, the same determination glimmering in their depths mirroring his own.

"I know," Atem whispered, swallowing thickly and moving out of the CEO's personal space, putting a respectful foot's distance between them as the black sedan pulled into a parking spot. "but I am afraid this may only incite anger in Satomi."

"Anger clouds people's judgement," Kaiba assured, tucking a golden lock of hair behind the pharaoh's ear in a rare display of affection. "and when she makes a mistake, that's when we'll have her."

"I hope you are right," he murmured, leaning into the touch before placing a chaste kiss on his boyfriend's knuckles. "Go," he continued, ushering him out of the car. "I will wait here for you."

It was probably for the _best_ , Kaiba thought, and though the beast squirmed in discomfort, he showed no fear as he ascended the podium amidst a plethora of camera flashes.

\---

By the time he returned to the car and climbed wearily into the back seat, Kaiba almost wished he'd never agreed to date two men at once. The questions, though simple, had been taxing on the already fatigued CEO. He hadn't eaten since his late breakfast, and he was beginning to regret not eating a quick lunch before they left an hour ago. Then again, he probably would have refused food anyway.

Eyes still filled with a storm of camera flashes and his head overflowing with reporters endless questions into the nature of his romantic life, it was no surprise to Atem that his boyfriend fell asleep with his head sprawled across his lap. Isono seemed to realize this, even with the glass partition still blocking them from view, because he drove a bit more slowly, taking the long way back to the Game Shop. Pressed for time they may be, but his boss needed sleep just like everyone else.

Atem remained silent for the duration of the ride, staring out of the tinted windows, absentmindedly stroking the bangs from Kaiba's eyes, and wishing he could do more.

\---

Kaiba awoke almost half an hour after the press conference (he hadn't really been sleeping so much as drifting off, but _Obelisk_ did he try) to someone tenderly stroking his cheek and murmuring softly.

"Morning, blue eyes," Atem greeted, a humorous tilt to his lips.

Grunting something unintelligible, he slowly raised himself to a sitting position, swinging his legs over the edge of the seat and running a hand over his eyes. (The beast hummed contentedly, curling itself into a ball. Kaiba rather liked the sound of the nickname, but now was _not_ the time.)

"How much time?"

"Not yet half an hour has passed," Atem answered, stepping from the interior of the black sedan with the fluid grace afforded to him in a previous life that had apparently been passed into his current one, too.

Falling into step beside his boyfriend, Atem unlocked the backdoor of the Game Shop, ushering Kaiba and his bodyguard inside. When they returned to the kitchen, they found things were much the same as they'd left them. Mokuba was still stationed at the laptop, drumming his fingers impatiently on the tabletop and glaring at the machine as though it had offended him personally. Sugoroku was sitting in the chair across from him, clutching a steaming tea cup in his weathered hands.

At the sound of their arrival, Mokuba hopped up, letting his big brother take his place while Atem settled into the chair next to Yugi's grandfather.

"How did it go?" Sugoroku asked tentatively, looking from Kaiba to Atem with obvious concern.

Instead of answering, Kaiba asked a question of his own while scanning the security feed on screen.

"Have there been any changes?"

"No, nii-sama," Mokuba sighed, leaning his elbows on the table. "I was only half paying attention, though. That press conference looked agonizing."

Kaiba winced but said nothing. It made sense they would be one of the many tuning into the livestream they'd set up specifically for the event. (No doubt the dweeb team had also been watching, but they took a backseat to the more _important_ problem at hand.)

As if on cue, the default text ringtone filled the air, coming from the phone in Atem's front pocket. Muttering something vaguely insulting in a language Kaiba barely understood, he dug the phone from its housing, swiping the screen to bring up the new message. The room seemed to hold its breath as everyone waited for what new atrocities had been committed in their absence.

Wordlessly, Atem slid his phone across the table, face down and angled so it would be within Kaiba's reach. Picking it up and turning the screen to face him, he didn't have high hopes that what he saw would be pleasant.

He was not wrong. (The beast _howled_ , thrashing and snapping its serrated fangs, claws flexing.)

This time, a wall of solid frost and ice stared back at him. Shirtless and likely shivering fit to burst, Yugi knelt among the slick floor tiles, stacks of frozen meat lining the right side of the picture. Again, they'd been sent a cropped version, and this time, Yugi's eyes were tightly shut to the world, but had they been open, Kaiba was sure he would be glaring daggers at his captor.

His left temple bore a shallow cut that bled freely, crimson staining the side of his face. Head wounds were like that, and it was probably not serious, but he would still need medical attention when they finally did find him. (The beast was oddly silent, but it was only the calm before the storm.) Kaiba didn't recognize the room, but the door behind Yugi had a tiny window, frosted at the edges, but the center was clear enough to see through to the other side.

It looked like a back room of some sort, with polished steel counters and utensils placed neatly in their pegs on the wall.

"Do any of you recognize this place?"

Kaiba held up the phone for everyone to see, ignoring the looks of outrage and pity, focusing instead on Atem's face. He'd gone back to clutching his forearms, golden bracelets tinkling as he moved.

"It's a meat freezer?" Mokuba guessed, shrugging his thin shoulders.

"Yes, but _where_?" Kaiba prompted, running out of patience.

"Well," Sugoroku began, squinting at the picture once he'd gotten over his initial rage, "it looks like the back room of the kitchens at the university."

"Are you sure?"

The old man nodded, seeming confident about his answer. Wasting no time, the CEO quickly brought up the security feed from the school, rewinding the feed to earlier that morning. It didn't take long; at noon, according to the time stamp in the corner, a woman fitting Satomi's description strode down campus, hand gripping Yugi's forearm and guiding him towards their destination. He did not stumble or otherwise show any discomfort at being lead to his new prison. (The beast felt a surge of pride, concentrating on the feeling lest it lose its temper.)

He'd almost forgotten about the attached message. Scowling, Kaiba paused before calling the security team, closing out the picture to read the single line of text.

**Bad move. You have one hour before he dies, and then you'll find his body lying at the bottom of the bay. Make your next move count.**

There was something about the wording of these messages that didn't sit well with him.

"Atem," he called, motioning the man over with a finger, his eyes still on the line of text before him.

Without a word, Atem was by his side, leaning over his shoulder, one hand propped on the back of his chair.

"What do all these messages have in common?"

Plugging Atem's phone back in, Kaiba accessed the message history, bringing each one up in a separate tab for them to examine. He said nothing, waiting on Atem's verdict. (He was so close, he could smell the man's cologne; a mixture of mahogany and sandalwood. It was a calming scent, clearing his head and helping him think.)

"It sounds like a.. _duel_."

" _Seriously_?" Mokuba snorted, skeptical.

"Yes," Atem continued, more confident now. "They all have the same words. 'It's your move.' 'Not a very good move on your part.' 'Bad move.' 'Make your next move count.' " He recited each, ticking them off on his fingers one by one.

"So, this whole thing is one big game of duel monsters?" Sugoroku's skepticism mirrored Mokuba's own, but now that Kaiba thought about it, the pharaoh was right.

"Exactly," Kaiba scowled. "She kidnapped the King of Games, it would only make sense."

"It is a duel we seem to be losing," Atem pointed out, knuckles white as he gripped the back of Kaiba's chair.

"Over my dead body," Kaiba growled, picking up his cell and dialing his security team. (The beast was in agreement, deep, rumbling growls tearing from its throat, wings shuffling and claws extended.)

Within minutes, his security team was on its way, and Kaiba intended to join them. This time, Mokuba was to come with them, while Sugoroku was to remain behind. He posed no objections, and with the promise of bringing his grandson back safe and sound, the brothers Kaiba, Isono, and Atem all piled into the sedan, setting off for the university.

\---

Unlike the ride to the press conference, where the tension had not been as thick and their needs not so urgent, the back seat of the sedan was home to hushed arguments and whispered instructions. The butt of a pistol appeared from the glass partition, poking out of a shoulder holster. Taking the proffered weapon, Kaiba shrugged out of his trench coat to strap it to his torso. Mokuba did not comment, but gave it a cursory glance and then pretended he hadn't seen anything. Atem, however, did not let it pass without comment.

"Do you plan on _using_ that?" he asked, wary.

For a few moments, Kaiba didn't answer, choosing to check the magazine and count the bullets, cocking the slide and putting one in the chamber before turning the safety off and shoving it into the holster.

"Only if I have no choice."

Atem chose not to argue, preferring to gaze out the window as they sped to their destination.

"Let us hope you will not have to, then," he murmured after a few minutes had gone by.

"So, what's the plan, Seto?" Mokuba asked, giving his brother his full and undivided attention.

"Get in, grab Yugi, and arrest Satomi."

"As simple as that sounds," Atem countered, turning to face them, "I think we may need another plan should the first somehow fail."

"Don't worry, Atem," Mokuba shot him a smile that did not quite reach the boy's eyes, "Seto _always_ has a Plan B."

Kaiba slid his arms through his trench coat, covering the shoulder holster, but did not speak.

The rest of the ride was spent in a tense silence. No affection was exchanged, nor would it have been welcome just now. (The beast began to pace, restless and pensive.)

Honda met them at the gate to the university, wearing plain clothes and looking worried. The window of the sedan buzzed down to grant him an audience with its passengers.

Most of the students and faculty have been evacuated. No one gets in our out without us knowing about it."

"Good," Kaiba muttered. "No one leaves without my say so. Meet up with my security team and spread out. If she escapes, I want her trapped in an armed muscle cage."

Honda nodded, placing a hand on the butt of the pistol sticking out from his hip underneath the long shirt he wore. Shooting them a thumbs up that only Atem reciprocated, he jogged off and they drove through the gate, making for the large cafeteria building around the left side of campus.

Leaving Mokuba to guard the sedan, the others set off around the back of the building. With Isono in the lead, Kaiba in middle, and Atem bringing up the rear, they made their way inside.

"How much time?"

Kaiba wasn't expecting an immediate answer, but it was Atem who spoke, having paused to check the time on his phone.

"We have thirty five minutes left."

That was plenty of time. Stealing into the back door, they crept on silent feet towards the kitchen, Isono's gun peeking around every corner. So far, they had yet to encounter anyone, and Kaiba chose to see that as a good thing rather than a bad omen.

The place appeared deserted, but appearances could be deceiving. The large steel door to the freezer sat at the back of the room, a length of iron blockading the door. Isono paused in the middle of the room beside the island counter, shoulders tense and scanning the area.

"What is it?"

The question came from Atem, who immediately zeroed in on the freezer door, but made no move towards it just yet. It turned out to be a smart move.

A figure stepped from the shadows from behind a set of drawers. A female figure wearing a three piece pantsuit and holding a pistol. Before Isono could do more than aim his gun, the woman fired, sending a tiny dart zooming across the space to embed itself in the bodyguard's neck. Isono dropped, his gun clattering to the tiles. He was out cold the second after he pulled the dart from his flesh.

The woman swung the gun to face Atem next, but Kaiba was quicker. She would not get a second chance. The gun was already in his hand, safety flicked off, and she had wasted precious time taking out the least threatening person in the room. A loud crack split the air, making Atem cover his ears against the noise.

A pistol dropped to join its fellow, skidding under the stove. Rather than hitting the woman directly, Kaiba had taken careful aim to shoot the gun out of her hand. Now clutching her bleeding fingers to her chest, Satomi Kaiba stood before them, scowling, hazel eyes narrowed in loathing at her stepson and his boyfriend. 

"You would be so quick to shoot me, Seto?" she mocked, taking a step forward and away from the freezer. " _Me_? Your stepmother?"

"I don't even _know_ you. All I know is, you took someone you shouldn't have."

She scoffed, jerking her chin at the freezer door behind her, Kaiba's dark tone rolling off her like water off a duck's back.

"Him? What is so special about _him_? He is a distraction, nothing more."

Atem took his hands from his ears, eyes narrowing, expression one of deepest disgust and cold fury mingling in a snarl. Gold flashed as he stepped forward, hands curling into fists.

"You know _nothing_!"

Satomi sneered as Kaiba quickly grabbed hold of his boyfriend's shoulder with the hand not holding his stepmother at gunpoint, drawing the man back and just behind him.

"Yes, I nearly forgot about you. You look so much alike, I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't distantly related, you disgusting--"

" _Enough_!"

Kaiba's voice rang loudly throughout the room, and a reluctant silence fell. He spotted a familiar head of spiky hair poking above the frosted glass of the freezer door. (The beast hissed, torn between wanting to deal with Satomi and protecting its violet eyed treasure.)

"Yugi," Atem rasped, once more stepping forward, only to have Kaiba hold him back again.

"I know," he murmured, too low for Satomi to hear, "Satomi first."

"I'm afraid you'll have to win his freedom, you insolent children." Satomi began to pace in front of the freezer door, up and down, prowling like a lioness, hand curled protectively against her chest.

"How?" Kaiba asked, keeping both eyes and the gun trained on her at all times.

"You like games, don't you? Duel me for him."

Kaiba snorted. A duel with this woman would take no time at all. He wanted to crush her beneath his boots, not give her a slap on the wrist. (The beast demanded blood as payment, and the paltry trickle dripping from her hand to decorate the tiles in its crimson rain was not enough to sate its blood lust.)

"This has all just been one big game to you, hasn't it?" Atem shouted, unable to control his anger while his boyfriend's life was at stake.

"Oh, _yes_. I was nearly there, too." Satomi paused, directly in front of the freezer door now. "But then you spoiled _everything_ by spilling your own secret."

"It was the obvious choice to make. By releasing the information myself, I took away the only card you had to play."

(Kaiba made a note to personally thank Mai for her idea. It might have taken much longer and wasted precious time he did not have to come up with the arrangement.)

"Smart boy," Satomi snorted, tossing her head. "Gozaburo wasn't firm enough with you."

Kaiba's trigger finger twitched but he did not fire the gun. That would just be what Satomi wanted, and he would be _damned_ if he gave this woman an inch.

"If we duel you," Atem stepped forward to stand beside his boyfriend, but made no move towards Satomi or the freezer. "then you will let Yugi go?"

Kaiba didn't think for a second she would keep such a promise, and Atem was foolish enough to believe her. He couldn't exactly blame him, though. He wanted Yugi alive just as much as the pharaoh, and there was nothing that would prevent him from saving the man from Satomi's clutches.

" _If_ you win, I will let him go," she promised, holding up a forefinger not stained in blood. "However," she paused, a nasty smile spreading across her lips. "If you _lose_ , none of you are leaving this building alive."

So, it was the same old song and dance. You lose, you lose your life. Pretty high stakes for a children's card game, but if that's the way she wanted it, Kaiba was more than happy to oblige her.

"Kaiba," Atem murmured, finally switching his attention from Satomi to turn burning wine colored eyes his way. "If a duel is all she wants, then let _me_ be the one to give it to her."

It was tempting to let the pharaoh do all the work, but the beast in his chest snarled, and would not be satisfied with anything less than death or lifelong imprisonment. (He didn't really want to _kill_ her. He wouldn't stoop to her level.)

"Oh, no," Satomi shook a bloody finger, tutting as though she were scolding a small child. "You will _both_ have to face me." She smirked, showing off perfectly even white teeth. "A three way duel. Me against the two of you."

She severely underestimated their combined skill levels if she was willing to risk Yugi's life on a mere duel. Perhaps she was counting on his inability to work well in a team, but if that was the case, then it was time to prove her wrong, once and for all.

"Fine, we accept."

Atem stared, amazed he would even consider the option, let alone go through with it.

"Kaiba, you know what that means."

"I know." He nodded, keeping a watchful eye as Satomi slipped a hand into her pocket, drawing out a deck of cards.

"We must work as a _team_ to gain Yugi's freedom."

That much was obvious, but it was a small price to pay considering the circumstances.

"There are twenty-five minutes left before the hour is up," Satomi taunted, motioning to the freezer behind her.

Now Kaiba realized what the imposed time limit was for. A timer sat against the wall beside the steel-bound door, counting down the minutes until the hour was up.

" _What have you done_?"

Atem clenched his fist around the deck of cards taken from the pouch around his waist.

"The temperature will steadily drop the longer he is in the freezer. Right now it must be quite comfortable compared to what it will be once the timer runs out." Satomi exuded confidence, as though she had thought of everything and was prepared to take this all the way in order to see her goals fulfilled. "You'll find three of your own duel disks in that cabinet behind you." A splash of red splattered the tiles as she motioned with a finger to the one directly behind Atem.

Kaiba scowled. As talented as he may be, he couldn't hold someone at gunpoint _and_ crush them in a duel at the same time. Satomi seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"Oh, don't worry, you villainous child. I am going nowhere without the three of you lying at my feet in a pool of your own blood."

Atem snorted, having retrieved the indicated duel disks. Handing one to Kaiba, who reluctantly shoved the gun back into its holster to take it, tossed the spare toward Satomi, who only just caught it in the tips of her non-injured hand.

The cry of "Let's duel!" filled the polished steel space, three different voices clashing in a discordant harmony.

\---

"I play End of the World!" Satomi cried, revealing her face down spell. "I tribute Shining Angel and Spirit of the Harp to summon Ruin, Queen of Oblivion!"

The kitchen rumbled, an elaborate white circle bursting from a darkening indigo sky, a city in flames spilling across the floor beneath their feet. A tower of alabaster flames tinted blue in the light of the circle above sprang forth, joining it to create a gap.

From the gap descended a woman garbed in red, ivory, and gray. Clutching a double edged axe the color of the blood now congealing on the tiled floor beneath the exquisite holograms, she alighted on the field amid the disappearing ruined city, her knee-length silver hair cascading down her back to gaze sternly at her opponents.

With 2300 attack points and 2000 defense points, she posed an adequate threat that needed to be removed as soon as possible. With the timer next to the freezer reading a mere five minutes, Kaiba and Atem had to hustle to victory if they wanted to free Yugi before the numbers reached zero.

On Atem's side of the field, Dark Magician stood poised to attack. He was stronger than Ruin, with 2500 attack points, she was no match for his strength. However, Satomi still had two face down cards, but with Ruin now the only monster on her side of the field and with just 600 life points left, if Atem attacked on his next turn, Kaiba's Luster Dragon #2 could launch an attack directly after. With 1200 life points a piece and two face downs between them, they could achieve victory in as little as two more turns.

"Reveal face down!" Satomi cried, motioning a bloody hand to the card directly to her right. "Cestus of Dagla!"

A flash of gold lit the field, two identical pieces of metal curved in half circles, alighting in Ruin's hands after she discarded her axe in favor of gripping the wooden handles of her new weapons tightly.

"The new accessories give her a 500 point power boost, bringing her total up to 2800 attack points!"

Kaiba scoffed, unimpressed. All he needed to do was draw a certain card, and she wouldn't last another turn.

"Ruin, attack Atem's Dark Magician! Armageddon Slash!"

That was unexpected. He thought for _sure_ she would target his weaker dragon in favor of watching him squirm. Perhaps she was smarter than she seemed.

Ruin launched herself forward, brandishing the gilded weapons as though she'd been born to wield them.

"Not so fast!" Atem declared, motioning to his face down card. "I play Book of Secret Arts! It gives my Dark Magician a 300 point power boost, bringing him up to 2800 attack points!"

On the field, a weathered tome appeared, flipping itself open to a specific page marked with a feather quill. Taking the book in hand, the Dark Magician quickly skimmed its contents, causing his attack strength to increase just as the pharaoh had intended.

Rather than being destroyed outright, the Dark Magician met Ruin on equal footing, blocking the mighty slash from her cestus with his trusty staff. Just as his hand shot out, striking the queen with a blast of dark magic, one of the cestus escaped the staff's hold, slashing down above his head and connecting with his unprotected shoulder.

The result was a stalemate. Both monsters were destroyed, but as both had the same amount of attack points, neither player lost life points, and the game continued on with four minutes to spare.

"I end my turn."

Satomi sulked, furious that one of her most powerful monsters now lie in the Graveyard.

Since Atem had gone before Satomi, that left it all up to Kaiba to end this. Glancing at the freezer door, he took a brief moment to asses that yes, Yugi's face was still visible. He'd been watching, likely on tiptoe, the whole time. Flashing a weak grin, the younger King of Games nodded, encouraging him to go ahead.

Kaiba had never believed in the stupid Heart of the Cards, but if ever there was a time for a miraculous (totally _bullshit_ ) draw, now was the time to pull it off.

Placing his hand over his deck, he closed his eyes, yanking the next card free from its housing in an unnecessary show of grace. Opening his eyes, a wicked grin spread across his lips.

"I summon Lord of D!"

Placing the monster in face up attack position, Kaiba relished in the look on Satomi's face as the monster appeared in a shower of lightning sparks; clad in dragon bone armor and flared cape, with just 1200 attack points and 1100 defense points, he wasn't particularly impressive. What solidified a place in his deck was the effect the Lord carried.

"Now, I could just attack with him and end this," Kaiba continued, briefly eyeing the woman's last face down card, "but you've long since proved you're not worthy of _mercy_." Removing a card from the last four remaining in his hand, he placed it in the spell and trap card zone, immediately activating its effect.

"I activate Flute of Summoning Dragon!"

A gilded flute in the shape of a roaring dragon's head descended onto the field into Lord of D's waiting hands. Placing the flute to his lips, he blew, and the sound of a dragon's roar filled the air with its majesty.

"With this card, I can summon two dragons who are just _itching_ to meet you."

From his left, he heard Atem's sharp exhale of breath and smirked. Placing the two cards on the disk, he watched as Satomi's face crumpled at the appearance of his most beloved beast. (The beast in his chest _roared_ in triumph.) Two ice white dragons of incomparable beauty flashed into existence, blue eyes glittering dangerously as they beheld their newest prey.

Briefly exchanging glances with Atem, who nodded solemnly, Kaiba turned his attention back to the game, which would soon be over.

"Blue Eyes. Attack Satomi directly with White Lightning."

Instead of declaring the attack at the top of his lungs as was his usual custom, he kept his voice low, sapphire eyes simmering with barely suppressed rage as the two dragons did their master's bidding.

"Not so fast!" Satomi exclaimed, wincing as she gestured to her remaining face down. "I activate the Trap card, Light of Judgment!"

As the Field Spell Sanctuary in the Sky was still in play, the dark clouds encircling the summit parted, a shimmering corona of white light appearing over the temple situated at its peak.

"I discard Light Effigy to destroy the attacking Blue Eyes!"

That might have worked had Kaiba not still had one face down of his own to spring.

"Raigeki Break," he intoned, gesturing to the last card on his field.

Discarding his Masked Dragon to the Graveyard, a vermilion bolt of lightning struck the field over Satomi's trap, shattering it into a million pixelated pieces.

"Destroy her."

His command was instantly obeyed. A stream of sparkling white shot forth from Blue Eyes mighty jaws, hitting Satomi directly and obscuring her from sight.

Her life points dwindled to zero, and the holograms faded. Satomi knelt among the scattered drops of her blood, tears rolling down her face, carving a path through her perfectly applied makeup. Isono stirred and sat up, rubbing his face. Whatever was in that dart was not long lasting, and he seemed otherwise unharmed.

Striding forward purposefully, boots clicking on the tiled surface as he picked his way around the crimson stained tiles, Kaiba crouched in front of his stepmother, grabbing her by the shoulder and squeezing painfully.

"How do I open the freezer door?" he demanded, voice deceptively calm.

"There's a button," Satomi whispered, staring unblinkingly where Blue Eyes once hovered. The dragons may have gone, but the impression they left would remain. "On the console. It's blue.." she trailed off, finally locking eyes with the CEO.

"If you're lying to me, you'll wish a lifetime sentence in jail was the _least_ of your problems."

The back door to the kitchens burst open, revealing three officers in plain clothes. They rushed into the room, followed by a few members of Kaiba's security team, easily distinguishable in their pressed dark suits and shades.

Atem, having dashed to the freezer door, pressed the blue button on the console just as the timer ticked away the last few seconds. With a glowing green one left behind, the timer ceased its countdown. Sighing in relief, the tired CEO explained everything to the officers now bundling Satomi up in handcuffs and holding her up between them, swiftly leading her from the room. One of them was Honda, who frowned over his shoulder as he left, holding up a sobbing Satomi.

A shivering Yugi threw his arms around Atem's shoulders when Kaiba at last turned to look. Snapping his fingers, a suited security member hurried over.

"Ambulance?"

"Waiting outside, sir."

"Good. Get this place cleaned up and fit for serving food again by tomorrow."

Nodding, the man dashed off to do as he was told. Now that it was all over, Kaiba wanted nothing more than to collapse in bed, perhaps after a brief warm meal.

"Blue eyes," Atem called, ushering Yugi closer. The blood had been hastily wiped away from his face, but a few rust-colored smears refused to relinquish their place. "I think there is someone here who wishes to thank you."

(The beast whined, having been kept away from its treasure for too long.)

Pushing his exhaustion back, Kaiba met them halfway, well out of the reach of the crimson coated tiles. Shrugging out of his coat, he placed it around Yugi's bare shoulders, lips twitching at the ridiculous sight of the flared ends trailing along the ground.

"H-hey," Yugi's teeth were chattering, and he clutched the trench coat as close to his body as he could, but there was no mistaking the gleam in his bright violet eyes. "I-is that a gun in your p-pocket, or you j-just happy to see me?"

"Both."

The automatic response came unbidden to his lips, but he didn't regret it. Yugi snorted, which turned into a sneeze. Sniffling pitifully, he winced as though still in pain. Unable to hold back any longer, Kaiba carefully scooped the pipsqueak into his arms, burying his nose in the plum and gold locks and inhaling the lavender scent of his shampoo. (The beast curled around its treasure, wings forming a protective cocoon around the boy with bright amethyst eyes that shone brighter even than its most valuable jewels.)

Yugi gave a pleased hum, nuzzling up against his boyfriend, tiny fingernails digging into his back. (The beast hummed, sending pleasant vibrations into the air around it, the boy with jewel bright eyes cuddling against its warm belly.)

Warm fingers carded through the CEO's hair, gently brushing it away from his face. Opening his eyes and glancing up (nearly spitting out a mouthful of spiky hair in the process), Kaiba found Atem standing over them, a born again pharaoh in modern times, protecting those most dear to him the only way he knew how.

Another figure appeared in the doorway, awkwardly clearing their throat.

"Uh, Kaiba?"

It was Honda, and he looked, in Kaiba's humble opinion, like he'd just swallowed a frog.

The moment was ruined (the beast sulked, but at least it was satisfied), and now he had one of the dork posse to deal with. _Lovely._

"What."

Reluctantly getting to his feet, he kept a possessive hand on Yugi's trench coat clad shoulder, staring the deputy down.

"The ambulance is waiting."

Honda met the sapphire gaze head on. Kaiba had to give the guy credit. The job had clearly toughened him up somewhat. (He was still a _dweeb_ , albeit a dweeb in uniform.)

"I'm fine," Yugi protested, frowning and turning those big violet eyes on his police officer friend.

"You might need stitches," Kaiba countered, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of Yugi's neck where Honda couldn't see.

"Not to mention they have to check you for symptoms of hypothermia," Atem added, placing a hand on Yugi's other shoulder.

"Ugh, f- _fine_. I can't believe you guys are double-teaming me," Yugi grumbled.

Under his boyfriend's guidance, he was ushered into the back of the waiting ambulance. (The beast continued to sulk, but at least it would get to take its treasure home soon enough.)

Mokuba was waiting beside the car with a weary Isono when Kaiba and Atem approached.

"Is Yugi all right?" he asked, piling into the back seat with the other two, Isono taking his customary place in the driver's seat. (He'd apparently been cleared by an EMT a few minutes ago. Whatever Satomi had hit him with left nothing behind but a lingering headache that was already fading.)

"Yes," Atem answered, curling against Kaiba's side without being prompted. "He may need stitches, but it was just a flesh wound." _It could have been worse_ was heavily implied, but not said aloud.

With Mokuba curled safely against his other side, the elder Kaiba drew them close, arms securely wrapped around their shoulders as he drifted into a light sleep.

\---

The half hour ride to the hospital was spent in relative peace. No one really slept, but being bundled together with his boyfriend and little brother seemed to calm the beast for good, and that's all that really mattered.

Kaiba opened his eyes to feel a persistent nudge on his right side.

"C'mon, Seto! We're here."

Mokuba. _Figures._ Sitting up and removing his arms, the tired CEO stretched as much as he possibly could in the cramped space. Atem patted his knee and gave a tiny smile, the most he could manage after the day they'd had.

After handing Isono the pistol and holster, they made their way to the Emergency Room, Kaiba in the lead. Atem fell into step beside him, and with Mokuba trailing along behind, they made their way inside.

The nurse up front informed them that one Yugi Mutou was currently in stable condition, and that he could have visitors as soon as they moved him to a private room. As this was Kaiba's hospital, things went rather quickly, and within another half hour, they were escorted by a second nurse up to a room on the fourth floor.

The doctor stood outside the door, waiting for them. Isono took up a post in a chair nearby, and Kaiba didn't begrudge him the rest. The doctor was confident that Yugi would recover. They were currently keeping him warm to counteract the time spent in the meat freezer, but he was awake and asking for them.

"You can go in and see him," they said, gesturing to the door behind them, "but we'll need to keep him over night for observation."

Kaiba nodded, well aware that might happen. Exchanging brief glances with Atem, he opened the door, instructing Isono to take it easy before entering the hospital room.

Yugi was sitting up in bed when they came in, idly flipping through the channels on a television mounted to the wall across the room from his bed. Atem made a beeline for his partner, immediately folding him in a tight embrace.

"Well, hi babe," Yugi quipped, dropping the remote and returning the hug, nuzzling into the pharaoh's neck, minding the IV sticking out of his hand.

Mokuba made a gagging noise, making the trio chuckle.

Murmuring quietly in Arabic, Atem released the poor injured thing, who scooted over to one side and made room for him to share the space. (Kaiba only caught a few words, but they were mushy enough for him to immediately forget their meaning.)

"If you guys are gonna be gross the whole time, I'm gonna leave," Mokuba pouted, going to sit at the foot of the hospital bed, careful not to sit on Yugi's legs in the process.

"My apologies, I'll behave," Atem relented, keeping one arm situated firmly around Yugi's shoulders.

"Hi to you, too, Mister Bigshot Duelist," Yugi grinned, reaching out to Kaiba, who had yet to join the party. "Get over here, I want another hug."

Rolling his eyes, the CEO complied, setting his briefcase by the bedside table and approaching within hugging distance. Yugi latched onto his waist, shoving his nose into the well toned abdomen.

"Clingy, aren't you?"

The dry tone was ignored, Yugi's small hands squeezing the only flesh he could reach as tightly as he was able. (The beast crooned, wrapping its claws around the boy and cradling him close.) Kaiba returned the hug, brushing purple and black strands from the cherub like face with uncharacteristic tenderness.

"Maybe, but can you blame me?"

"Not really."

He allowed the contact only a moment longer before gently nudging the man back against his pillow. (He hadn't missed Mokuba's eye roll, so affection would have to be kept to a bare minimum while the imp was around.)

Yugi sighed, settling back against his pillow, nestled protectively against Atem's side.

"So, I'm guessing grandpa and my mom don't know yet?" he asked, looking to Kaiba for the answer.

Kaiba shook his head, spotting his trench coat folded neatly in the chair at Yugi's bedside.

"The hospital will call them, and you'll probably see them later."

"Makes sense. The nurse washed that for you, by the way." Kaiba noted the lack of blood and was pleased with how easily it settled about his shoulders when he shrugged it on. "They must have used Blood-B-Gone, look how white it is now."

The brothers Kaiba snorted in unison, a brief silvery giggle joining in before it faded. With a sigh, the elder Kaiba situated himself in the chair, scooting it closer to the bed so now he was positioned within touching distance.

"You'll probably have to talk to the police eventually," Kaiba warned, extending a hand to grasp Yugi's smaller one firmly in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah, I know."

Yugi's eyelids began to droop, a yawn spilling from his chapped lips, soft and sweet. Interlacing their fingers, he returned the squeeze and turned to lay his head on Atem's shoulder.

"You've had a long day, _habibi_. Perhaps a nap is in order," Atem murmured, pressing a chaste kiss to his temple beneath the bandaged slice on his head. He'd gotten a few stitches, which wasn't the end of the world. They would dissolve in a couple week's time, and all he would have was a small scar to mark the occasion.

"Hm, okay. Stay with me?"

"Always."

Mokuba tactfully hopped down from the end of the bed and made his way to the door.

"Can I tell the others we found Yugi?" he asked, directing the question to his older brother, who nodded.

Waving, he left the room, likely to keep Isono company in the hall. That was fine. Perhaps he sensed they needed some time alone together. They wouldn't be _completely_ alone, but the sentiment was appreciated.

"Hey, Kaiba?" Turning his attention to Yugi at the whispered question, he hummed to show he was listening. "Thank you." With what seemed like great difficulty, he turned drowsy violet eyes the CEO's way. "I wouldn't have made it without you."

The Box of Emotions was going to overflow at this rate, and no amount of slamming the lid shut could stop the beast from rumbling in satisfaction at the praise.

"It was because of _me_ that this happened."

Without a doubt, Kaiba hated himself for what had been done; he _hated_ the fact that his long lost stepmother even got close enough to figure out his relationship with Yugi and Atem, and his self-loathing would reach new heights because of it.

"Doesn't stop me from.. loving you anyway.."

Swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat, Kaiba watched Yugi's eyelids drift lower until they finally closed. His breathing slowed, and a serene expression stole over his face. Reaching over to grasp their joined hands, Atem tenderly stroked the knuckles with a thumb, shooting a knowing smile his way.

(A single tear slipped down the beast's scaly cheek, caressing the sleeping boy's hair with a gentle swipe of his claws. It had never seen anything so beautiful in its entire hoard, and it likely never would again.)

"He will blame the painkillers for that one," Atem chuckled, gazing fondly down at his sleeping partner before locking eyes with Kaiba's stunned sapphires. "but I believe he is not the only one."

Unable to keep eye contact, Kaiba's head bowed, chestnut fringe obscuring his features from sight. He would _not_ cry, not in front of anyone, but that didn't stop the tears from springing unbidden to the corners of his eyes. Rapidly blinking them away and taking deep breaths, a few moments passed before he was able to look up again, a new resolve lighting a fire deep inside that he would not recognize for what it really was until much later.

No further words were exchanged, but Atem seemed content to keep the silence, letting it envelop them in a warm, soft cocoon. (The room _was_ a bit warmer than normal, but it had to be for Yugi to be comfortable.)

Falling asleep was easy, he'd been fighting it for the last hour, but now it was time to let his body recuperate. Food could wait until later; for now, Kaiba was content to rest, leaning against the arm rest and dropping into the welcome folds of darkness, hand clasped between the two duelists who, once upon a time, had made his life a living hell.

Now, he would give anything to keep them safe. Kaiba didn't know if what he felt was love, but the unmistakable warmth he felt in their presence could no longer be denied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, I hope the ending made up for the awful angst I put you guys through. u_u
> 
> (Someone caught the f e e l i n g s bug, whoops!!)
> 
> Fun fact: I used my own cards to write out the duel sequence. I used my fairy deck as a model for Satomi's. I also have a dragon deck I modeled after Kaiba's, and a Spellcaster one for Atem. They were pre-made years ago, all I had to do was find them.
> 
> I hate some of the sentence structure, but I'm so tired of looking at this tbh, ya'll will have to deal with it until I can go back and read through it all. Sorry!
> 
> One last thing: Thank you all so much for your continued support as I write this. I really do like this ship now, and I never thought I would see the merit in it, but I'm glad I did. It's fun to write their dynamic, and even after I finish this fic, I want to continue writing for the ship in the foreseeable future. I love you guys, and thank you all for reading! <3
> 
> P.S.: Please no disparaging comments about Satomi. She served her purpose, and she'll serve the time for it.


	7. Day Six (Part 1): Heart of Clear Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Could the beast be capable of love?
> 
> Was the man any different?
> 
> Could both realize that all it took was a glimpse into the mirror to find the answers they sought?
> 
> Water falls and hearts align. Once you stare into the depths of your soul, the truth you find could be more dazzling than you ever thought possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever cease writing metaphors? Probably not, it's too fun.
> 
> Will I stop naming the chapters after Spell Cards? Um, who do you think I am, _not_ some kind of Huge Nerd™?
> 
> It's finally day six, and we're on the home stretch! Sadly, this chapter had to be split into two. Trust me, you'll end up thanking me for it.
> 
> Also, this chapter is _long_. I'm talking over 16k words long... I really do apologize for the length. Anyway, there's some naughty shit happening towards the end, so be prepared for that. I feel no remorse for leaving ya'll with a cliffhanger. #bye

Seto Kaiba was dreaming again.

_Fantastic images assailed his unconscious mind. A beautiful ice white dragon with six wings, looking more like an angel than anything he'd ever seen, awaited his command. Across from him, the Dark Magician, darker than even he remembered, stood his ground to face the mighty beast, staff at the ready._

__

The image shifted and his vision was filled with gold. A pillar of holy light blazed down from the heavens, obscuring everything in sight. A silhouette appeared within the column, and even before it disappeared, he knew who would be standing there.

__

The scene changed again. The vast heavenly expanse of space surrounded him, the eternal dance of the celestial bodies unhindered as he stood overlooking the Earth, protected from the ravages of zero gravity behind a shield of glass and steel. A sparkling object floated before him, the mystic eye of _wedjat_ staring blankly right through him, as though piercing to his very soul.

__

His vision blurred, a different image presenting itself. He was walking purposefully across the scalding sands of the desert. Situated in the sky above, his destination lie ahead. An expansive sandstone palace glittered in Ra's scorching rays, a haze of heat surrounding everything in sight. He felt nothing but a calm determination as he approached the gates. Guards on either side, shirtless and carrying wickedly sharp spears, let him pass without fuss. Eventually, he reached the lavish throne room, coming to a slow stop some feet from the wide dais. Everything shone as though polished to a brilliant shine, but Seto Kaiba had eyes for no one but the man seated atop the gilded throne.

__

As though waiting for his arrival, the man slowly got to his feet. Ra's light caressed his features like an old friend, bathing him from head to toe in its ethereal majesty. The man in question was relatively short, yet carried the unmistakable aura of authority. Shirtless, draped in gold, indigo cape aflutter, Kaiba stared into the piercing wine red gaze of the Pharaoh Atem. The light finally dimmed, his face coming into full view. A serene smile graced his features, softening the sharp angles and planes of his face.

__

_As he opened his mouth to greet his most favored and esteemed guest - the image shattered into infinitesimal pieces._

A voice called out to him, ushering him from the cool confines of sleep. Feeling a warm hand on his shoulder gently shaking him awake, deep blue eyes slowly opened onto a world of white. Stark, sterile, and shrouded in dim overhead lighting, Seto Kaiba found himself sitting in a hospital room, awkwardly slumped on his side in a chair next to the bed. The voice was talking to him, a low and soothing murmur close to his ear.

"Rise and shine, blue eyes."

He'd recognize that voice anywhere, in any life. Sitting up, one hand trailed over his face and up into his hair; the other seemed to be occupied. Staring down at it, he realized he was still holding Yugi's hand, the one with the IV attached to the back of it. The warm hand left his shoulder, only to gently card through the tangled locks of his hair. (Damn, when did he start craving that kind of touch? He must _really_ be out of it.)

"How is he?"

Atem sighed, perching on the arm of his chair and digging those skilled hands into his boyfriend's shoulders. (If his soul were a body of water, it would take the form of a trickling stream in a calm forest glade. Peaceful, yet wavering under the gentle touch.)

"No change. He has been sleeping soundly this whole time."

Kaiba relaxed under Atem's ministrations, carefully stroking Yugi's knuckles with a thumb as he slept on. Eventually, the hands ceased their trail downward and settled about his shoulders, his right one now housing the pharaoh's pointed chin. For a moment, both men were content to watch their dear one sleep. 

Even good things must come to end eventually, and for Kaiba, that time was now. There was still so much to be done, and he couldn't afford to waste any on what he couldn't change.

"How long were we asleep for?" he asked, turning just slightly to make eye contact. 

"A few hours. A nurse came in to check on Yugi, and that's when I woke up." He sighed, moving to press their foreheads together, noses just barely brushing. Neither one moved, content to listen to Yugi's steady, even breaths. "Kaiba, I.." Atem trailed off, worrying at his lower lip as though in deep thought.

Kaiba was literally close enough to smell the lingering mint on his breath, feel the warmth of his skin (seriously, was this guy a portable space heater?), and count every single eyelash. He was _much_ too close now, and alarm bells clashed, dispelling any other thought.

"We need to leave," he blurted, rising abruptly from the chair and leaving Atem to fend for himself. He managed to catch himself on the back of the chair, and despite his indignant huff, Kaiba did not turn to see the rejection etched into every feature. 

Bending over Yugi's bedside, he carefully extracted his hand, careful to mind the IV administering a dosage of painkillers. The stitches in his temple were still intact, but he refused to even glance at the chafing marks on his neck and wrists where the iron cuffs cut into the skin. (The water churned and bubbled, steam rising from the surface in thick wisps, clouding his mind in viscous _rage_.)

What Satomi Kaiba did to him could never be physically erased, but maybe some day, the emotional damage could be repaired. He wouldn't be surprised now if, at the end of their designated week, neither of them wanted anything further to do with him. (He could hope all he wanted, that didn't change the fact that something awful had happened in the course of their - for lack of a better term - experiment that may very well put them off for good.)

Taking a second to brush the gilded fringe that had fallen into Yugi's eyes as he slept behind an ear, Kaiba felt a powerful sense of guilt rise within him. It was _his_ fault Yugi was lying in the hospital. It could have been worse, but that was hardly any consolation. Feeling disgust not far behind, he quickly withdrew, bending to grab his briefcase. 

"Kaiba, hold on."

Shaking his head, he made his way to the door. Pausing on the thresh hold, he glanced back just in time to witness the pharaoh pressing a swift kiss to the crown of plum and gold strands. Bending over him as Kaiba had done, he whispered in Yugi's ear, the Arabic flowing from his lips in a breathy rush. Giving his partner's hand a final squeeze, he stood, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he approached the impatient CEO.

"We're coming back tomorrow, you know."

Atem shrugged and said nothing, following his boyfriend from the room and shutting the door gently behind them.

Isono jumped to attention as soon as his master exited the room. Noting the lack of dark blue hair at his heels, the bodyguard told them he'd taken the liberty of driving the youngest Kaiba back to the mansion while they'd been napping. After catching the doctor and informing him in no uncertain terms that Yugi Mutou was their top priority, he led the way from the premises, Atem falling into step beside him with an easy grace born of nobility that he couldn't help admiring. (Or maybe he was just checking out the man's ass. That was also possible. He blamed the leather.)

Once back in the sedan, the atmosphere began to take a dive. Even with the sound proof divider up, no one spoke. It was a twenty minute drive from the hospital back to the Game Shop, and not until half that time had elapsed did the silence finally break.

"You know," Atem began, tearing his gaze from the window to lock eyes with his boyfriend, "I have yet to thank you for saving Yugi's life."

"I don't need thanks. I didn't do it for you."

Seto Kaiba never did anything for anyone other than his little brother, that was pretty much common knowledge. What they didn't know was that he never did anything out of obligation, either. He did whatever he wanted because he _wanted_ to do it, and for no other reason. 

"Ah, I see."

A muscle above his eyebrow twitched. Of _course_ , he always had to jump to conclusions and think the absolute worst of him. Well, Kaiba had had quite enough of that while they _weren't_ dating. There was no way in hell he'd have any misunderstandings this far into the week.

Before Atem knew what hit him, Kaiba had pinned him to the seat, nearly straddling his waist. Grabbing his golden clad wrists in a gentle but firm grip, he hovered over the pharaoh, glaring sapphire coated daggers and meeting him head on.

"I didn't do it for you, _or_ for me," he growled, their noses almost touching, "I did it for _us_. _All_ of us."

Atem's eyes widened, the bob of his adam's apple a visible tell. His muscles relaxed and the fight left him as soon as it had found him. His features softened into a more gentle countenance, the wine colored irises shining in adoration rather than swirling in a tempest of fury. (That was the best way he could describe them. Either you were staring into the raging fires of Hell itself, or you were lost to the waves of red and deepest violet that blended to create a confusing mix of colors no one in their right mind could name.)

"If you truly mean that," the pharaoh breathed, straining against the hands that bound him to the sleek leather interior, "then I would very much like to kiss you."

Snorting lightly, a smug grin spreading across his face, Kaiba closed the distance between their lips, finally quelling the urge that had risen to claim his thoughts, both waking and not, ever since dinner the previous night. True to his word, he had the pharaoh completely at his mercy, the clash of teeth, lips, and tongue mingled with heated breaths and disjointed murmurs of pleasure. (The steady, even rush of water thrummed, the rapid current gurgling in time with the beat of his heart.)

Eventually, lack of air demanded they part, and with a final teasing nip and swipe of his tongue, Kaiba withdrew, relinquishing his hold and giving the man beneath him distance to breathe. (The leg hitched around his hip was a hearty bonus. Perhaps he wasn't as inept at this affection thing as he thought.)

"You seem rather.. willing to accept affection these days," Atem quipped, the tone so reminiscent of Yugi that Kaiba had to calm the pounding flutter of his heart in response with a swift mental kick to the Box. (It rattled, but did not budge.)

"Perhaps," he replied, caressing the leather-clad thigh to his left, earning a stuttered moan caught on an exhale as his hand drifted steadily upward. Now Atem was all but squirming beneath him (Thank you, God of the Obelisk for this gift), clutching the folds of his trench coat that bunched about his hips, eyes half-lidded and filled with longing.

Reaching the hem of his shirt, Kaiba waited for confirmation before his fingers inched any higher. They had maybe six minutes left, and that's _if_ traffic wasn't horrendous. Not much time for anything good, and although they still had all of tomorrow and the day after that, he was the impatient sort through and through. Finally, consent came in the form of a hesitant nod, and his fingers danced beneath the dark shirt that barely left anything to the imagination.

Strong hands wrapped around his biceps, squeezing firmly. Atem's nose scrunched up, eyebrows coming together and lips pursing into a thin line. Apparently, something was wrong, although he couldn't figure it out for the life of him. Regretfully, he extracted his hands and straightened out the wrinkles in the dark shirt, leaning down to press an apologetic kiss to the jugular. 

Just as he withdrew, Kaiba heard the soft, measured laughter that reminded him of a babbling brook in the middle of a twilit forest. Raising an amused brow, he repeated the action. Atem shook his regal head, golden lightning curls bouncing with the motion. Taking that to mean he should probably back off unless he wanted to lose an eye, the CEO dutifully moved away, retreating to a respectful foot's distance.

"It seems I have.. underestimated you, Kaiba. You really _are_ insatiable."

If his guess was correct, he'd just found the pharaoh's vulnerable ticklish spots. Filing that information away for later, he extended a hand, a peace offering to help Atem up.

"Looks like you created a monster."

"Perhaps," Atem chuckled, accepting the hand and pulling himself back into a sitting position. Rather than leaving it at that, Kaiba unexpectedly found himself with a lap full of leather, gold, tri-colored hair, and a smirk so wide it should _definitely_ be illegal. (The pattering of raindrops, wavering in the heat of the sun, cast endless ripples across the surface of a calm lake, creating a beautiful rainbow, the shattered prismatic light tossing its colors in all directions.) 

Now that he was free, it looked like revenge was on the menu. Releasing the hand he'd grasped, the reigning King of Games was once again on his knees, this time _in_ his boyfriend's lap instead of between it. The pads of his fingers marking a burning path across Kaiba's cheeks, the pharaoh cradled his face between his hands as though it were precious cargo.

"Prepared to tame the beast, are you?" Kaiba's question was met with more rich laughter, which only pleased him further. 

"Not tonight, I'm afraid." 

"Pity," Kaiba replied, hands settling carefully on the toned backside. (It felt as good as it looked, bless you ancient Egypt.) "I might have let you."

A hungry gleam flashed in Atem's eyes before it disappeared. The car came to a smooth stop in front of the Game Shop, and since neither of them had been paying attention, a light rap to the sound proof divider fixed that problem immediately.

"Next time," Atem murmured, his tone full of promise. "For now, our time has come to an end."

"Right. Tomorrow, then."

"Yes. Now, go home," a familiar press of lips to his forehead, "eat something warm," a brief peck to the tip of his nose, "get some rest, blue eyes," lips ghosting down to whisper against his own, two pairs of eyes falling shut to meet once again in tongue tied bliss, withdrawing all too soon after a final lingering kiss, "and call me in the morning."

"What time?" The hospital opened its doors to visitors at nine in the morning. Even if Atem rose with the sun, it would still be a few hours until they could get in to see Yugi.

"Whenever is convenient for you. Good night."

Without another word or backward glance, Atem left his lap, taking his leather-clad backside with him. The door opened and shut, and now the only trace of his presence was the lingering scent of apples and sandalwood. (Apples? He _really_ needed to stop taking unscheduled naps.)

Taking a moment to cross his legs and look intimidating, Kaiba rapped on the soundproof divider. It quickly buzzed down, revealing the dark green and grey hair of his bodyguard.

"Seto-sama?"

"Come back tomorrow morning and check for bugs. I want to know how Satomi found out, and I want the evidence destroyed."

"Yes, sir."

The car pulled away from the curb and slid smoothly into the intersection. Moonlight spilled across the pavement, the street lamps sailing by as they made their way back to the manor. Now, he had plenty of time to think of his next move. (The waters had calmed, with barely a ripple marring its surface.)

First, he needed to know _why_ Satomi held a grudge against someone she'd never met. The words she had been so close to uttering wormed their way under his skin, digging in like painful barbs. No, Seto Kaiba was _better_ than that. He was _not_ what others thought of him, and he never would be. Despite the road ahead, he would rise from the ashes of defeat and remake himself anew. A blazing phoenix atop the dazzling peak of Domino.

Yes, that image suited him _just_ fine.

\---

Once they finally returned to the manor, Kaiba excused himself, retreating to the kitchen. Mokuba sat waiting for him at the island counter, throwing himself at his big brother and holding tightly to his waist.

"How's Yugi?" he asked, loosening his death grip once his hair had been considerably ruffled.

"Sleeping."

Further conversation could wait until he'd gotten some food in his stomach. Sensing this, Mokuba returned to his tea. Unbeknownst to the elder Kaiba, he'd been passing the hours by exchanging memes back and forth with Jounouchi, which got increasingly more obscure and ridiculous as time wore on.

After a modest warm meal, he bid his brother an early good night, heading upstairs to his home office. Since virtually nothing had gotten done today, he would be awake well into the night, making sure the pile of work that awaited him didn't get too heavy.

 

***

 

 _Staring into the eyes of faceless, winged spheres, there was only one thing Seto Kaiba could do now._ It was his only option left, quite literally the only card he had up his sleeve. Slamming a hand against the rough hewn stone floor, he felt a satisfying pull on his spirit as the dark shape ascended just behind him. 

He was the only one who _could_ summon the God of Obelisk, even from the reaches of the Afterlife. The towering shadow stretched to the vaulted ceiling of the chamber where, three years ago, the Ceremonial Duel had taken place. Now, crumbling to pieces, it was the last place the pharaoh had walked the earth before his return to an eternity of peace. Had the Gods themselves not intervened, that's where he would currently reside.

The man across from him, hawk-like yellow eyes widening in alarm as he stood in the presence of one of those Gods, shouted his objections that fell on deaf ears. With a regretful pang, Kaiba sacrificed his beloved dragons so that his patron deity could deliver a devastating blow. Its large fist drew back, gathering a wave of energy before slamming into his opponent. 

_The blow struck with a holy force, obscuring the boy from sight._

A sound shattered the peace and quiet of Kaiba's study. Opening his eyes and sitting up from where he lay sprawled across the surface of his desk, arms pillowed in front of him, the CEO groaned, grabbing the offending vibrating object. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he accepted the call, knowing at once who had the gall to bother him at this hour.

He didn't even let the familiar ringtone play just to spite the man, instead answering on the second line of the lyrics.

"Exactly _what_ time do you call this, pharaoh?"

Squinting out of the window across the room, he realized why he was so comfortable and warm. A thick blanket lay draped about his shoulders as he slept. Now it pooled around his waist as he shifted to a more comfortable position. 

"Good morning, blue eyes," he chuckled, the warm baritone soothing his ire into mild irritation. "Well, currently it is after ten in the morning."

One glance to the clock on the wall confirmed as much. A still steaming mug of coffee sat on a coaster just within reach of his right hand. Gently grabbing the handle, the grumpy CEO brought the mug to his lips, taking an experimental sip. Black with three sugars. Mokuba had a good memory.

"I suppose you couldn't wait for _me_ to call _you_? Some might see that as desperate," he grumbled, taking another sip of blessed caffeine. Like most people, Seto Kaiba was completely unapproachable until he'd had his daily dose of coffee.

"I apologize, but it was not my impatience that woke you," Atem paused, and he could hear someone else's voice on the other end, "it was his."

The phone transferred hands, and just as the CEO stood to stretch his legs, another voice began to speak.

"Uh, morning, Kaiba."

 _Figures._ He couldn't have a moment to himself outside of work without one or the other vying for his attention. Coffee mug in one hand and phone in the other, Kaiba left his office and strode back down the hall to his bedroom.

"Pipsqueak." He ignored the indignant huff and shut the door behind him. "What do you want?"

"I'm pretty much cleared for discharge, but the doctor said you had to be the one to sign off for it, for some reason."

"Fine, I'll be by later."

He was about to hang up, but it seemed like the spiky-haired noodle had something else to say.

"Wait, hold on!"

Setting the coffee mug on his bedside table within easy reach, Kaiba sighed, flopping onto the edge of his bed.

" _What._ "

"If I said anything, uh.. _weird_ last night.. Well, I was on painkillers, so I'm sorry? I probably had no idea what I was saying, so.." he trailed off, seemingly unable to continue.

(Bubbles rose to the surface of the calm water, popping one by one as they broke the blue green barrier.)

He said nothing for a long moment, long enough for Yugi to grow uncomfortable in the silence. It shouldn't have surprised him, really. No one in their right mind, Mokuba excluded, could ever harbor any kind of affection for him. Romantic love was impossible, that much he'd known. There were always risks involved with opening yourself up to someone, a risk he'd never bothered to take until now. 

"Kaiba?" Yugi's voice was soft, hesitant. Probably sensing his anger through the other end and deciding to tread carefully for a change. When he still refused to speak, sure he would say something he'd come to regret, Yugi sighed and tried again. "Hey, um.. what exactly _did_ I say last night?"

Taking another sip of coffee, he let the searing liquid coat his tongue, giving him a sense of clarity. If he fucked up now, so close to the end of their week together, he would hold it against himself as long as he could. Seto Kaiba _never_ fucked up an arrangement or business deal. He was smart enough to know when to back out, yes, but never when victory was so close at hand.

Unfortunately, this wasn't some business deal he could carefully monitor, predicting every trend in the market like he'd been bred to. This was a relationship (of sorts), and those took time, communication, and _love_ to work. (The beast padded to the edge of the water, claws sinking into the soft loam with each step, leaving behind enormous foot prints. Staring into its scaly reflection, it pondered on the sleeping boy curled protectively in its nest. Did the beast love him? Was it even _capable_ of such an emotion?)

Kaiba could not find the words he needed to express his current feelings, but if it _wasn't_ love, then what _was_ it? He decided to test the waters, dipping a toe in rather than diving in head first.

"You said you loved me."

Swallowing thickly, the blunt statement hung in the air while he waited on a response. It seemed a long time in coming, but he'd be damned if he hung up now and seem a right coward.

"Wow, um," Yugi faltered, probably searching for the right thing to say. "First of all, I'm never taking painkillers ever again." The deceptively light tone did not mask the nervous note that leaked into his voice, but he kept going anyway. "Second of all.. I guess we need to do the talking thing now."

"Talking will have to wait. There's something I have to do."

Yugi snorted, and Kaiba could picture the roll of his eyes.

"Do you _ever_ stop working?" Valid question or not, it still caused his sapphire gaze to roll heavenward.

"It's not about work." Before Yugi could open his smart mouth, Kaiba kept going, the words coming out in a tense rush. "It's about Satomi."

Met with more silence, somehow more profound than the last, Kaiba sighed, letting another sip of caffeine bolster his resolve.

"Oh. Well. Whatever it is, just.. be careful, okay?"

(The beast let out a heavy sigh, wisps of silver smoke pouring from each nostril as it lay beside the calm waters. Dipping its long tail into the dark depths, the beast relaxed, resting its angular jaw just inches from the water's surface. The waves lapped against its clawed feet, lulling it into a restful sleep.)

"I will. Get some rest. You probably still look like a drowned rat."

Easing into their normal banter, he felt the atmosphere lighten considerably, the silvery laughter cutting across the line in sharp, distinct peals that caused the calm waters to ripple in delight.

"Says the guy who could use a shower and a good fuck. Maybe both at once if he's _really_ nice."

As tempting as that image undoubtedly was (the beast's ears twitched, the waters gurgled, and the Box vibrated gently), Kaiba had other things to do before he gave into temptation. 

"Maybe later. _If_ you're really good."

The prospect of sex didn't frighten him; if anything, it caused a heady sense of anticipation to pool in his gut.

"I'll hold you to it, then." There was another pause where someone else spoke, too low for Kaiba to make out before Yugi's voice returned. "I'll hand you back to 'Tem now. Bye, lover boy."

"Bye, shrimp."

"Asshole." 

(Kaiba could practically _hear_ the smile in his voice.)

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

His question was met with a derisive snort and a final quip before the phone changed hands once again.

"No, but I'll kiss _you_."

Shaking his head, a neat smirk sliding its way onto his face, the CEO sipped his coffee, Atem's soft laughter filling his ears as he came back on the line.

"Sounds like you two are getting along just fine, hm?"

"Like the tiger and the dragon." It was said only the mighty tiger could handle the dragon's fierce disposition, and if anyone was the tiger, it was certainly Yugi.

"Does that make me a lion?"

"King of the pride? Absolutely."

As entertaining as their conversation turned out to be, all work and no play made for an exhausted CEO. There was still so much to be done, so with a heavy sigh, he bid his boyfriend farewell.

"I'll stop by the hospital later to sign Yugi out. I have an appointment I have to keep."

"I understand," Atem murmured. "Come back to us safe, blue eyes."

(He was _really_ coming to enjoy that name, not in the least because it was modeled after his beloved dragons.)

"I will."

Hanging up, he set the phone aside, taking the coffee mug in both hands and relaxing against the headboard among the nest of down pillows. As soon as Kaiba finished his coffee and got dressed, he was going to pay the good men and women of the Domino City Police a visit, and it wouldn't be a pleasure trip.

\---

"Fifteen minutes, that's all you'll get," Honda declared, escorting Kaiba down the row of people visiting their friends and loved ones in prison, some with hands pressed to the bullet proof glass, some with phones cradled to their ears, and others still just glaring through the glass at the prisoner before them.

"That's all I need," Kaiba replied stiffly, hands shoved into the pockets of his white slacks. (White suit, light blue tie, just like the old days.)

Honda led him all the way to the end of the line of chairs, where a woman with lank brown hair that fell past her shoulders sat waiting, dressed in a dull beige two piece prison uniform and looking more pitiful than she had upon her defeat just yesterday. She wore no makeup, and one of her hands - the one he'd hit with his bullet - was bandaged tightly and laying on the table in front of her. Her wrists were cuffed, but the long chain allowed for easier frame of movement, a courtesy he would not have given her.

Wordlessly, he sat in the small chair before the booth, walled off like a tiny cubicle from the other visitors. One guard stood beside the door that led further into the prison behind Satomi, a stern looking woman who probably took about as much shit from prisoners as Kaiba himself took from his employees. Satomi Kaiba stared him down, lip curling in disgust as she beheld her stepson and heir to the Kaiba Corporation, a title that should have rightfully been Noah's, had the accident that took his life not occurred.

Without prompting, Honda went to stand against the wall behind him, hands clasped behind his back and standing at ease. Kaiba ignored him, taking the nondescript black phone from its cradle and holding it to his ear. After a moment, Satomi mimicked the action, using the hand not clothed in bloodstained bandages.

"This is not the reunion I had hoped for," she began, her voice filtering through the tiny speaker, distorting it so she sounded much farther away than she really was. "Alas, if Gozaburo could see you now."

"Spare me," Kaiba spat, glaring sapphire daggers at the woman who should have saved him from the horrors he'd endured at her husband's hands. "The only reason I came here is to get answers. After that, you'll never see me again."

Satomi held onto her pride, even in prison. She scoffed, squeezing the phone until her knuckles turned white.

"I suppose you want to know why?" she asked, raising a brow in challenge.

"Among other things." When he did not elaborate, she shrugged, her grip loosening just enough to be noticeable.

"You may ask, but I do _not_ have to answer."

"Noted." He kept a tight hold of the beast, lashing the great limbs together and clamping its mouth shut. With his anger in check, he asked the question that had plagued his mind all of last night as he worked. "Why harm Yugi? He's never done anything to you, or to anyone."

The only way Yugi Mutou would ever hurt someone, or even _think_ about hurting someone, was if they laid a hand on one of his friends. His fierce loyalty was something to be admired, not considered a weakness to exploit. Even Kaiba himself would never stoop that low.

"I recognized him from the news," Satomi said, gathering herself up to deliver what she no doubt thought a grand speech. "He attended many of your tournaments in the past, often accompanied by the one who shares his ridiculous hairstyle."

"The only one who gets to insult Yugi Mutou is _me_ ," he warned. "Me, and the group of nerds he hangs out with. Do I make myself clear?" 

Satomi did not answer for a moment, giving a haughty sniff before finally nodding her assent.

"I had originally planned to grab the other, Atem, but found Yugi by pure chance while he was out shopping."

"Atem is too smart and not nearly so trusting to accompany a woman he's never met down a side alley in broad daylight. Keep going."

Satomi glared, hateful hazel boring into severe sapphire before she continued her tale.

"Well, since I knew you were practically untouchable, I had no choice but take one of them to teach you a lesson."

Kaiba snorted, crossing one long leg over the other, looking more like a king sitting atop his paltry throne than anyone else who had set foot in this building.

"Who I see is no one's business but mine." He kept his voice low, mindful of Honda directly behind him and against the wall. They hadn't yet told the geek squad about their arrangement, although thanks to their brief affectionate display yesterday, the young police officer probably had a hunch as to what was going on. Either he chose to keep it to himself, or Kaiba had yet to check his messages.

"Noah should be where you are now," Satomi blurted, the hand not holding the phone clenching the edge of the table. "He should have been the one to inherit his father's company."

"It was an accident that no one could have prevented," Kaiba muttered into the phone, "you're blaming the wrong person, and that's why _you're_ in there and _I'm_ sitting out here."

"Gozaburo is dead, and you are not. If it had not been for _you_ , we would still be sitting atop the largest weapons empire in the East!" she exclaimed, hatred etched into every line of her face.

"A weapon's only purpose is to kill. Trust me, I did you a _favor_."

His calm demeanor only seemed to incense her further. Standing abruptly, she leaned closer to the glass, phone clutched tightly to her ear. The woman behind Satomi moved to subdue her, but Kaiba held up a hand to stop her. 

"And just what exactly do you gain by making _games_?!" she cried, her voice rising in anger.

"I make games so that children and teens all over the world can find some bit of happiness to cling to," Kaiba murmured, his tone soft and clipped now. "Which is something you and Gozaburo never understood, or cared about."

Leaning towards the glass, he zeroed in on Satomi's eyes, holding her hateful gaze with his own, surprised by how calm he now felt.

"You owe us _everything_ ," she whispered, her harsh tone grating on his ears.

"I don't owe you a damn thing," he countered. "I am what Gozaburo made me, but I will not let that stop me from attaining my own happiness." Fully believing this to be true, he had finally made up his mind. When he first decided to visit Satomi, it was to demand answers as to why she'd chosen to kidnap his boyfriend. Now, as he stared into the eyes of Yugi's captor, he felt no rage, only a driving conviction. She obviously felt disgusted by his romantic preferences, but that no longer mattered. He'd long since put Noah from his thoughts, forgiving the boy his misdeeds.

Kaiba's decision surprised even himself; his own happiness had always come last. Mokuba and his company first, himself second, if at all. Now his happiness sat a little higher on the ladder, accompanied by Yugi and Atem's. Seto Kaiba did a lot of things out of spite, but being happy was _not_ going to be one of them. (If it turned out that it pissed Satomi off more, all the better.)

"They could never _love_ you," Satomi hissed, the receiver crackling with the exhalation. "They're only interested in one thing, and it isn't you."

For the first time since stepping foot into the building, Kaiba smiled. It was not gentle or sweet by any means; it had a certain degree of bite to it that made even Satomi cringe.

"That's where you're wrong," Kaiba smirked at the indignant look Satomi now wore, leaning back and situating himself as though he were sitting on a lavish golden throne instead of a hard-backed chair, "and you know something else, Satomi?" He waited for her to react, a slight eyebrow raise the only indication before he continued, lowering his voice even further. "I love them in return. _Both_ of them." 

Slamming the phone back into its cradle, Kaiba got to his feet, smoothing out the front of his suit jacket and motioning to Honda. Wearing a bewildered expression, the young deputy fell into step beside him as they left the visiting cubicles.

He had not lied to Satomi, he just wished it hadn't taken him this long to realize the feeling for what it really was. It came out in a fit of pique, but Kaiba was sure he interpreted the feeling correctly. (Now free, the beast swam uninhibited in the deep lake, undulating and twisting itself into sinuous figure eights just because it _could_. It relished in the new feeling, the warmth blossoming in its chest as it breached the surface, reminiscent of dragon fire, climbing into the air with powerful downward strokes of its massive silver wings. Water dripped from its frame, falling back into the lake from whence it came, creating a joyous music of its own.)

Honda was shooting him an odd look as he lead the CEO back down the hall they had entered previously. Kaiba ignored it. Now that his errand was finished, he had two people waiting to welcome him back, and this time, he refused to shy away from his feelings, whatever they may be.

\---

Striding purposefully down the sterile white hospital corridor, Isono at his heels, he'd made good time in getting back just before midday. (Traffic was brutal in the city limits once lunch hit.) Since Mokuba was still at school, Kaiba had the rest of the day to himself, having called his secretary on the ride over to settle any work-related affairs. There was still much to be done, and an idea had sprung forth once silence swept in. It was something he had never bothered to consider before now, but it would make sense. If his hunch was correct, then all it would take was a little digging, figuratively _and_ literally, before the object was in his possession.

Spying a head of short auburn hair making its way toward him, he came to a slow stop two doors down from Yugi's. Sugoroku and his daughter had just exited the room, followed closely by Atem, whose face broke into a radiant smile as soon as he'd spotted his boyfriend's tell tale suit. (The water reflected the glint of the Sun King's armor as he strode ashore, soaking wet and laughing from being pushed into the water by his beastly lover, sweeping the sopping golden strands from his face and shooting a glare over his shoulder. The beast actually _grinned_ , ducking back beneath the crystal clear surface.)

"Kaiba-san!" Yugi's mother called, coming to a halt a few feet away and bowing at the waist.

"Mrs. Mutou." He returned the gesture, surprising everyone present. Even Atem, normally so unruffled as to be eternally carefree, had shock written across his features, his eyes widening a fraction.

"I'm so glad we caught you! Thank you for everything you've done for my son," she stepped closer, reaching out to grasp his hand, giving it a firm squeeze.

At a momentary loss for words, Kaiba nodded, accepting her thanks without comment. Sugoroku chuckled, clapping his hands together once and addressing those present.

"Yes, I must also say thank you. At first, I didn't think you'd changed," his wry tone was not lost on the CEO, who simply stared at the old man as he continued, "but it seems I was wrong. Atem has told us everything."

Finally locking eyes, Atem nodded, a serene smile in place. Only now did he realize what the man was wearing, his surprise rapidly waning to be replaced by idle curiosity. Clad from head to toe in ivory, from the ribbon holding his ponytail up to the flowing knee-length skirt situated around his hips, all the way to his feet, clad in simple beige sandals whose straps wound around each ankle. Atem presented a rather odd image in the middle of the immaculate white corridor.

"I am sorry we could not consult you, but Yugi and I both agreed that it was time to tell them about.. _us_."

"Speaking of," Yugi's mother had now let go of his hand, staring him down with sharp, dark eyes. They held no judgment, only a kindness overshadowed by the need to protect her own. "Sugoroku and I both agree that as long as Yugi and Atem are happy, we should support them in whatever decisions they make."

Swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat, Kaiba nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Voices filtered into the hallway from Yugi's door, which had been left ajar as the Mutous exited. It sounded like Yugi had company, which he wasn't particularly happy about. He was ready to get their talk out of the way, and now that he'd finally gotten closure, he was almost eager to return to his boyfriend's side.

"Actually," Atem stepped forward, nearly within touching distance, "I was just going to take them back to the Game Shop when you arrived." Perhaps he expected the frown to spread across the CEO's face, for he reached out to gently brush his fingertips down a pressed white sleeve, leaving a burning trail in its wake. "I'll return in half an hour, no more."

"All right," Kaiba murmured, their fingertips brushing for a brief second before the pharaoh withdrew his hand. "Isono will follow along behind you." Turning to his bodyguard, they exchanged identical nods. "Please allow him to search the shop and your house for any bugs, audio and video included. I don't want a repeat of what happened to Yugi ever again."

He knew Atem at least would understand, even if the other two did not. After exchanging final goodbyes, Kaiba watched his boyfriend walk away, flanked by Yugi's family with Isono not far behind, until they disappeared around the corner. Now, faced with the moment of truth alone, he made his way to Yugi's room, laying a palm against the door and pushing it open, taking a deep breath in preparation. (The water churned, restless and cold, longing for the warmth of the sun's rays once more.)

"Honestly, Mai," Yugi whined, blushing to the tips of his ears and straightening out his shirt, "I guess if I had to go out, suffocation via boobs would be the best way to go about it."

He was sitting up in bed, dressed in his usual casual best; white button up, black collar, blue jeans ripped at the knees, and enough belts to make a Kingdom Hearts cosplayer salivate. Atem had obviously brought him a change of clothes, as well as a band to put his hair up with. Yugi seemed in good spirits, surrounded on all sides by the friends he held so dear. Quiet laughter broke out at his comment, and Kaiba rolled his eyes, shutting the door with an audible click behind him.

Four pairs of eyes whipped around to stare at the source of the intrusion, but he was only interested in the bright violet gaze; blind to Bakura's polite curiosity, Jou's calculating indifference, and Mai's mischievous smirk.

"Well, look what the drag- _on_ dragged _in_ ," Mai quipped from the foot of Yugi's bed, shooting him a dazzling grin that he couldn't quite find the reason behind.

"Ugh, Mai, ya need better jokes," Jounouchi grumbled, his arm casually draped around Bakura's shoulders, both men taking up residence in the chair the CEO had napped in just last night. With Bakura perched on the arm, he looked quite content, like a soft white bird on the shoulder of its master.

"Or maybe you just need a better sense of humor," Bakura smiled, patting his boyfriend's knee and generally radiating a calm serenity.

"Hey, boss man," Yugi waved, patting the free space beside him. "Pull up a bit of bed, and come sit awhile."

Yugi had to scoot over to the opposite edge of the bed to make room, but Kaiba managed to squeeze himself into the space, their shoulders touching. As present company made affection rather impossible, he crossed one leg over the other so that both hung over the lip of the bed and gave Yugi more room should he need it.

"Where's the rest of the nerd herd?" he asked, content to fall into their usual banter for the time being.

"Otogi and Honda are at work," Bakura recited, unruffled by his boyfriend's indignant snort, "Anzu is still in New York, and Marik, Isis, and Rishid are currently in Egypt. Am I missing anyone?"

"Nope, that's all of us," Mai tossed her wavy blonde hair over one shoulder, her sharp eyes taking in Kaiba's appearance without comment. "Unless you somehow inducted someone else within the last hour."

"Nah," Yugi's quiet silvery laughter floated freely in the intimate space, "not yet, anyway."

At Kaiba's raised eyebrow, Jounouchi groaned, jerking a thumb his way.

"Just as long as rich boy ovah here doesn't feel up to it, I don' care who else ya persuade."

It was easy to fall into their usual pattern of insults, gossip, and inside jokes. Physically present, yet remaining worlds apart, Kaiba mostly kept to himself, glancing down at his boyfriend when he thought no one was looking. He was real, he was right _there_ , and soon enough, he would have both duelists alone and all to himself. Their talk could wait a little bit longer if it meant the relative peace could last, and nothing and no one would spoil this moment for him.

Twenty-eight minutes later exactly according to the time display on his phone, there was a quiet knock on the door. Bakura was in the middle of telling Yugi the plot of the horror film he'd watched with Jounouchi on Valentine's Day (Kaiba wasn't paying much attention, only expressing interest when Jounouchi screamed like a little girl at every jumpscare.), pausing at the knock to glance at the door.

"Come in!" Yugi called, looking past Kaiba's broad shoulders as the door opened.

Striding into the room, skirt flaring in the slight breeze, Atem made his way over to the hospital bed. Mai, sharp as ever, scooted to the opposite side of the bed so the pharaoh could claim a spot closer to Yugi. Two officers entered just behind him, shutting the door with a soft click. One of them was Honda, his unmistakable quiff visible under his hat. The other wore a simple suit, badge hanging from a chain around his neck with a gun stuck in its holster and secured firmly around his hips.

"Hey, Yugi," Honda greeted, coming to stand a few feet away, the second officer falling into step beside him. "This is Detective Yagami, he'll be taking your statement on the incident."

Yugi nodded in acknowledgement, sitting up a little straighter, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

The next half hour was spent in intense discussion, Atem chipping in whenever Yugi faltered. Jounouchi, Bakura, and Mai simply listened, only speaking when directly spoken to. Kaiba had already given his own statement while he was at the station earlier. It took all of half an hour for Yugi to tell his version of events, and another half hour for Yagami to ask him a series of routine questions.

"Thank you all for your time," Yagami stood, pocketing the notebook he'd used to write the information down in. "Kaiba-san, we'll be in touch."

"I expect we will be." Kaiba nodded, standing to shake the man's hand. 

"Well, I'm off. Still on duty and all. See you guys."

Cracking his knuckles, Honda clapped Yugi, Jounouchi, and Bakura each on the shoulder, giving Mai and Atem a gentle wave as he left the room with the detective. The others called their goodbyes, and before the door closed, he and Kaiba exchanged knowing looks. (One dweeb down, five more to go.)

"Well," Yugi chirped, clasping hands with Atem, "I'm ready to get the hell out of dodge. How about it, boss man?"

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba headed for the door and out into the hall. Locating the doctor took a mere five minutes, by which time the nerds had left the room and were saying their goodbyes in front of the elevator. After signing Yugi out and receiving a small bottle of painkillers with a refill prescription ("Just in case he experiences pain he cannot handle, have him take one before bed with a glass of water."), he located both Yugi and Atem, who stood chatting with Isono by the elevator. With the departure of the geek squad, he was that much closer to spending the rest of the day in relative peace.

"Can we go home now? I'm dying for something to eat that _isn't_ hospital food," Yugi pouted, shrugging into the light coat Atem handed him and pulling the zipper up to his collarbone. "No offense," he added as an after thought, probably catching the raised brow as Kaiba pressed the down button for the elevator.

"You'll have to stay with me, at least for a few days." Ignoring his protests, the CEO stepped into the confined space, the others close behind. Isono pressed the button for the first floor, and they were off.

"How come? Grandpa will need help with the shop."

"Sugoroku will be just fine," Atem soothed, rubbing his hand up and down Yugi's arm. "I can return to help if need be."

"For security reasons, obviously. I'd be surprised if your little adventure wasn't all over the news by now," Kaiba muttered, his mood souring at the thought. "You'll likely have paparazzi coming out of the woodwork and staking out the corner of your shop." His tone left no room for doubt as to how he felt about that kind of nuisance.

"We _are_ kinda famous, so I guess it's unavoidable." Yugi shrugged, standing close enough to touch. Kaiba suppressed the urge, waiting until they had climbed into the back of the sedan before he so much as looked at either of them for longer than two seconds.

Atem explained that Isono had kindly driven him back, having left his car at the Game Shop. Two backpacks rested on the floor in the back. Kaiba recognized them from their visit on Valentine's Day; either Isono had been one step ahead, or Atem was very good at reading people. Maybe it was a little of both. The soundproof divider was left down, and the CEO exercised restraint on the ride back to the manor. He needed a little more time alone to think, and with both men sitting comfortably on either side, that made it rather difficult.

"Here," Fishing the bottle of painkillers from his pocket, he tossed them into Yugi's lap. "Take one of those before bed if you need it."

"Oh, um. Thanks." He slipped the bottle into his pocket, and Kaiba got a nice view of the chafe marks still adorning his wrists. (The water _steamed_ , obscuring the clear depths and creating a mist too thick to penetrate with sight alone.)

"So, do we get to pick our own guest room, or..?" Yugi trailed off, raising a brow suggestively. _Do we get to stay with you?_ was heavily implied, but not said aloud. (Oh, that was _tempting_ , but he'd never get anything done if his bed was full of tri-colored hair and Atem in a _fucking skirt_. The opportunities _that_ afforded were immediately tossed into the Box without a second glace. _Focus_ , dragon. Work first, pleasure second.)

"Sleep wherever, as long as I don't hear a peep from you after midnight." 

Thankfully, he was spared further banter as they pulled onto the long circular drive, parking in front of the house. He had to wait for Atem to get out of the car before following suit. Waiting for Yugi to catch up at the top of the front steps, he strode into the house, nodding to the butler as he made his way across the polished marble floors. 

"Pick whichever room you want, you know when dinner is. Mokuba will be home around three-thirty, so expect to have a tiny nuisance jumping in your bed."

"I'd much rather have a _large_ nuisance in my bed," Yugi quipped, drawing laughter from the pharaoh beside him. Kaiba snorted, making his way up the grand staircase.

"In due time, shorty."

"I'm not short where it counts." 

"Is he always like this?" he asked, glancing back at Atem and exchanging mildly exasperated looks.

"Only when he really wants something."

Kaiba was almost happy to reach his study at the end of the hall. Inputting the security code, he turned to find two expectant pairs of eyes staring up (and up, and _up_ ) at him.

"Don't you two have someone _else_ to annoy?" Yugi and Atem exchanged looks, shrugging in unison. "Look," he sighed, gently brushing a hand down Yugi's arm, the first kind of physical contact he'd allowed between them since the night before. "There's still work I need to get through. I'm behind as it is."

Yugi's smile disappeared, replaced by a more thoughtful expression as he grabbed the CEO's hand, idly playing with the long fingers as he spoke.

"We still need to talk," he murmured quietly, focusing his attention on the hand in his rather than the face above him.

"We will. After I handle a few things, we'll have dinner. _Then_ we can talk."

Rolling his eyes, Yugi pressed a quick kiss to Kaiba's knuckles, much as Atem had done the day before and smiled, a tiny upward twitch he couldn't have missed even if he tried.

"Okay. See you at dinner." Dropping his hand, Yugi took hold of Atem's instead, leading him back down the hall. The pharaoh let his partner do as he wished, tossing his boyfriend a smile over his shoulder as he left. Shaking his head, Kaiba entered his study, shutting the door behind him. They would be fine, he had a state of the art security system, not to mention a team of trained bodyguards able and willing to lay down their lives for him if need be.

Putting the tri-colored noodles from his mind, it was time he got back to work. First things first, answer the backlog of e-mails from the last two days. (No one seemed to be able to go a single day without making sure they had his approval for _something_ or other.) That took all of an hour. His company stock had taken a bit of a dive, but that was to be expected in the aftermath of something like this. A few of his older business contacts had cut ties (their loss), but others had come forward with new propositions. One included the local LGBT organization, which he'd been quietly supporting from the shadows with anonymous donations for some years now.

His annual orphanage visit was coming up in a month, and he made the necessary arrangements for the trip. On a whim, he postponed arranging the flight to and from the orphanage. They had still yet to have the Feelings Talk (the stream gurgled at the very thought, emptying into the lake at a rapid pace), and until they did, nothing was certain.

Another hour slipped by, and he had just hung up with Isis Ishtar, confirming a suspicion and arranging transport to Egypt, when a soft pattering of raindrops sounded. With a roll of his eyes, he checked the group chat for the first time in nearly two days.

Kuribonbon: ty guys for visiting ily all <3  
BlackDragBoi: np ur my bro and ily too <3  
PeachSunrise: i'm giving you a big hug next time i go back to Japan <3  
SpookyBoi: I may just hug you again for good measure, honestly.  
Kuribonbon: it was almost worth it just to be hugged this much  
LilBlueEyes: Glad to see you back on your feet Yugi  
KingofGames: I think we all are.

Mokuba must be out of school. Checking the time, Kaiba realized he was right. It was just after three in the afternoon. He'd worked straight through lunch, as usual. Since he'd told the dynamic triangle duo to leave him be, they'd taken him at his word for once and let him work in peace. As nice as that was, lunch sounded pretty good right about now. Getting to his feet, he monitored the group chat as he left his office and made his way downstairs to the kitchen.

HarpyQueen: i'm also hugging you again next time i see you :<  
Kuribonbon: mai ily no offense but if you hug me again, i could suffocate and die  
Kuribonbon: not that i would mind, but you know  
Kuribonbon: tem would miss me  
BikeBoi: glad to see ur sense of humor is still intact too

Well, that explained why Yugi had looked so flustered when he'd walked in the hospital room earlier. (He _had_ mentioned being attracted to women as well, which didn't bother Kaiba in the least. He personally did not care how someone identified. It was none of his business. If the CEO found someone attractive, gender was not a factor. Yes, he _preferred_ the company of men, but maybe it was just Atem and then Yugi who had managed to get under his skin.)

DiceBoi: hang on, where's Kaiba..?  
BlackDragBoi: back in his tech cave probs  
KingofGames: Hopefully he is heeding the advice I gave him earlier.  
Kuribonbon: yeah let him be for now  
SpookyBoi: Good idea.  
LilBlueEyes: I think hes in his office at home

That didn't take as long as he'd expected. Sure, _Otogi_ of all people had been the one to ask after him, but it didn't really bother him. He could be obnoxious, but he had a mind for business, so that earned his grudging respect. The fact that Mokuba knew him well enough to figure out where he was certainly didn't make him feel any better. Making his way into the kitchen, he fixed himself a mug of tea and a late lunch, sparing the cook any more work. A small kindness, but it felt like he owed it to the woman who had served him faithfully since he was a shitheaded teenager.

Kuribonbon: all in favor of inducting mokuba in the squad say sugar peas  
BikeBoi: wtf why

The tea mug was halfway to his lips when his eyes narrowed at the newest message. His brother seemed to be getting along with everyone else, just as he nearly always had (no one really talked about the events of their tenth year), but Kaiba wasn't entirely ready to have his teenage brother hang out with a bunch of dueling geeks.

LilBlueEyes: Sugar peas?  
Kuribonbon: [drop em](https://m.popkey.co/660b47/vlMQG.gif)  
BlackDragBoi: how dare you exhume an old meme from the vault like this

Ah, finally a reason to come out of lurking and respond. (Kaiba never passed up the opportunity to antagonize Jounouchi. Once upon a time, it had been out of spite. Now, it was just the way they interacted. Without the harmless insults, it didn't feel worth it.)

BlueEyesCEO: Big word for a small mind.  
DiceBoi: oh look, its the Fun Police  
BlueEyesCEO: Don't try to be cute, Ryuuji, it doesn't suit you.  
LilBlueEyes: Aw dont be a spoil sport Seto  
DiceBoi: i am Very Cute, i'll have you know  
BlueEyesCEO: Spare me.

Otogi operated on nearly the same sense of humor as Yugi, which was probably one of the reasons he enjoyed their back and forth over text.

Kuribonbon: are you still working, or??  
BlueEyesCEO: You could say that.  
PeachSunrise: we know how Yugi is, but how are you, Kaiba?  
BlueEyesCEO: Why.  
HarpyQueen: well hon, no offense, but you looked like hell warmed over yesterday  
PeachSunrise: also, despite what you think of us, we do actually care about your well being :c  
BlueEyesCEO: I'm fine.

Technically, he was just on a late lunch break, and then it would be back to work with him for another few hours until dinner. In essence, he _was_ fine. He didn't even need to examine the Box, or stare into the deep lake of his soul to figure that out. Kaiba detested coddling from anyone; he could get by on his own two feet. It was one reason he'd brushed off affection for so long. Until now, he didn't think he _needed_ it. Mokuba had been plenty; sure, their hugs were few and far between, but that gave them greater meaning. Even Jounouchi pointing out the obvious (he'd seen the coverage of the broadcast on a local news station; it wasn't pretty) couldn't incite his anger. He had a warm meal filling his belly, a mug of tea to keep him company, and two companions awaiting his return.

Kuribonbon: i got an idea  
BikeBoi: here we go...  
Kuribonbon: shut up its a good one  
Kuribonbon: spring break is coming up right??  
PeachSunrise: yeah!! i'm gonna come back to visit you guys <3  
BlackDragBoi: omg yes my girl <3  
HarpyQueen: i'm so excited!! O v O  
Kuribonbon: sweet that actually works  
xGraveKeeperx: i'll ask Isis if we can make the trip over  
Kuribonbon: good we're p overdue for a get together

Speaking of companions, looks like Yugi was attempting to plan a get together for the whole squad. Quite a feat, considering they spanned three different continents. If anyone had the determination to make it happen, it was Yugi Mutou.

KingofGames: What day would be convenient for everyone?  
SpookyBoi: Probably Sunday.  
BikeBoi: same  
BlackDragBoi: i can take a day off

Even Atem was all for it, though that was no surprise. The man held his friends just as close to his heart as Yugi did.

Kuribonbon: ur invited too kaiba  
BlueEyesCEO: No thanks.  
Kuribonbon: not giving you a choice sorry

Speaking of dear to one's heart, Kaiba would _really_ have to stop Yugi's trying to include him in their activities together once and for all. (Amused though it was by the boy's cheery disposition, the beast elected to let him enjoy the time with his friends. Far from keeping the boy prisoner, he was free to go wherever and do whatever he pleased, as long as he returned safe and sound at the end of the day.)

PeachSunrise: so, next sunday good?  
xGraveKeeperx: should be!  
Kuribonbon: ye i cant fuckin wait to get out of bed  
KingofGames: We will be there.  
DiceBoi: sweet! i have sundays off

Since things seem to be settled, it was time for one last (probably futile) effort to make his independence known.

BlueEyesCEO: Have fun, nerds.  
Kuribonbon: ur still coming  
BlackDragBoi: gross  
LilBlueEyes: Ew can we not go there  
PeachSunrise: jou wtf there's a kid here!!  
LilBlueEyes: The only kid here is jou  
BlackDragBoi: ewrtyu i'm not takin shit from a pipsqueak!!  
BlueEyesCEO: You just did.

As amusing as Mokuba taking on Jounouchi was, that was definitely _not_ an appropriate topic for a teenager to discuss. At least Mazaki was sensible, reminding the chat of his brother's underage status.

xGraveKeeperx: tiny kaiba knows how to throw shade :U  
Kuribonbon: ur one of us now kid  
BikeBoi: lmao  
SpookyBoi: Are you going to take that, Jou?  
BlackDragBoi: hell no  
BlackDragBoi: fuckin bring it  
LilBlueEyes: Consider it brought  
PeachSunrise: now, now, children pls behave  
PeachSunrise: or aunt anzu won't bring you any goodies from America

Kaiba had taught his brother well, it seemed. Mazaki took her role seriously, and he was thankful to her for looking out for Mokuba's best interests. However, that was _his_ job, and it was time to take it seriously.

KingofGames: The family has expanded, it seems.  
LilBlueEyes: Can i be the cute and sassy rich uncles kid  
BlueEyesCEO: No.  
Kuribonbon: too late i already told him lmao  
BlueEyesCEO: You're literally the worst.  
Kuribonbon: <3

For some reason, that tiny heart emoji was enough of a reason to see this week long dating thing through to the end. Even Mokuba's amusing objection wasn't enough to keep his lips from quirking up in a semblance of a smile.

xGraveKeeperx: i think tiny kaiba has earned his rightful place among us >o>  
BlueEyesCEO: Say good bye, Mokuba.  
LilBlueEyes: Spoil sport

BlueEyesCEO has kicked LilBlueEyes from the conversation.

Now that his kid brother had been taken care of, it was time to finish his tea and head back upstairs to finish his ever increasing work load. With this new project, he was bound for more all-nighters in the near future, but Kaiba never took on more than he could handle. This one in particular was of a personal nature, and took priority over most everything else. Isis had agreed to assist him the best she could, and now all he had to do was be patient and let her handle things on her end.

The chat went through numerous name changes, something that seemed to happen at least once a week with them. Finally, Yugi put his foot down and changed it a final time.

Kuribonbon has changed the name of the conversation to "Rated N for Naptime".

HarpyQueen: you know, that's not a bad idea  
BikeBoi: naps?  
Kuribonbon: ye also im still on painkillers so #bye  
KingofGames: Sleep well, aibou.  
Kuribonbon: smooches~  
BlueEyesCEO: Barf.  
DiceBoi: there's that famous sense of humor!  
PeachSunrise: i always knew you had it in you, kaiba  
BlackDragBoi: ye who knew  
BlueEyesCEO: It's called a callback, the most basic rule of improvisational comedy.  
BlueEyesCEO: Something you lack.

Nothing further came from either of his boyfriends, which meant Yugi was probably about to take a nap. The cook informed him that lunch had been taken upstairs to his guests while Kaiba had been working, so there was nothing to worry on that front. Less than eager to get back to his pile of work, the CEO cleared away the remains of his lunch and headed for the staircase, sneaking one final peek at the group chat in the process.

BikeBoi: who remembers the great zodiac discourse of 2016?  
xGraveKeeperx: that was a fun chat  
BlackDragBoi: bye guys i gotta go do somethin that isnt hanging out with people less funny than me  
HarpyQueen: your loss hon :V  
BlueEyesCEO: Not for me.  
DiceBoi: #roasted

Since nothing else interesting was happening, Kaiba closed the chat app and ascended the staircase. Halfway down the hall, he changed his mind. He could work from his phone for the rest of the afternoon. He had other calls he could make, but right now, he craved the company of another. Even if Yugi was indeed napping, there was still Atem; maybe he could persuade the pharaoh to join him in a duel (or several) to pass the time.

His mind made up, he began to search the rooms on the first floor, excluding his and Mokuba's. Unsurprisingly, he found Atem wandering through the game room, examining this game or that trophy, but touching nothing. Leaning against the door frame and crossing his arms over his chest, the CEO was content to watch his boyfriend indulge in idle curiosity. His sharp eyes took in everything they fell on with an intense kind of delight that was just a little bit endearing. Even after three years in the modern realm, the ancient pharaoh still found some things beyond his scope of understanding.

Another minute passed in reflective silence until Atem turned back toward the door. He froze in place, their eyes locking, neither moving a muscle.

"The grounds are a lot better to look at than a bunch of old dueling memorabilia," Kaiba remarked, gesturing to the glass cabinet behind Atem.

With a shake of his regal head and a gentle smile, the ivory clad pharaoh slowly approached on bare feet until he was standing just a foot away, well within touching distance. Far from stooping to making out in the game room (another day, another time), Kaiba wordlessly jerked his chin back towards the hall. 

Getting the hint, Atem followed his boyfriend from the room, shutting off the lights and closing the door behind him. Kaiba lead him back down the hall and around another corner, toward the guest rooms.

"Which one did you chose?" he asked, motioning towards the various doors lining the monochromatic hall.

"This one," Atem murmured, approaching the second door from the right and gently pushing it open. Coming to stand just behind him, the CEO had a clear view over the man's shoulder and into the darkened room. The lights were off and the curtains drawn across the bay window, but the light from the hall spilled into the room, illuminating the interior and giving just enough light to make out the figure curled up among the sheets. "He took one of those pills you gave him, and fell asleep in no time at all." Kaiba grunted in a noncommittal sort of way, fingers trailing up and down the pharaoh's bare arm as they watched Yugi sleeping.

"He'll be out for awhile, then," Kaiba mused, withdrawing his hand and turning away from the precious scene. (As the beast watched its treasure sleep, an overwhelming urge to protect the boy swelled inside of it. He was beautiful, kind, and could match wits with it like no one else could, aside from the Sun King himself. It _did_ love the boy after all, and would die trying to keep him safe.)

Quietly shutting the door, Atem caught up to the retreating CEO, casually falling into step beside him and owning the space as though it had belonged to him all along.

"Is there something you would like to do to pass the time?" he asked, clasping his hands behind his back and matching Kaiba stride for stride.

He could think of a number of things he would rather do with Atem (and _to_ Atem) than go back to work, but he voiced none of them. Instead, he made his way back to the landing without any particular destination in mind. A set of tiny footsteps hurtled up the stairway, the welcoming cry of "Nii-sama!" the only warning he got before his midsection was dominated by the blue-haired parasite known as Mokuba Kaiba.

"Hi, Atem! Nice outfit."

Rolling his eyes, Kaiba gently removed his brother so he could breathe, ruffling the blue locks and smirking in satisfaction at the indignant huff he'd garnered for the action.

"Hello, Mokuba," Atem chuckled, attempting to help him undo the damage his elder brother had done to his hair. "Did you have a good day at school?"

"It was okay. Where's Yugi?" he asked, glancing behind them as though the pipsqueak would just materialize out of thin air.

"Sleeping," Kaiba muttered, noting the lack of shoes and backpack, which meant he'd left both downstairs.

"That's too bad, I was gonna ask him if he could help with my homework." He shrugged, arms casually folded behind his head.

"Perhaps I could be of some assistance?" 

Atem's question was met with identical dubious looks. At the pharaoh's raised brow, Mokuba shrugged, leading the way back downstairs. For lack of anything better to do, both men followed the younger Kaiba into the sitting room, his bag on one of the couches where he'd tossed it upon entering.

"I guess you can try. Are you any good at Geography?" he asked, flopping onto one of the couches and bringing his backpack toward him.

"Not as good as I used to be, but not bad, either."

Taking out his phone, Kaiba made himself comfortable on the opposite couch while Atem and Mokuba took over the other. While the pharaoh attempted to help his little brother through the multitude of homework, Kaiba returned to his work, phone glued to his ear as he made various calls to different departments. All three kept their voices low so as not to disturb each other, or the sleeping Yugi upstairs.

\---

An hour and a half later, Mokuba's homework was finished and packed away, and now Kaiba was standing beside the back window, finishing up his current phone conversation. Yugi was basically the top dog in his testing department, so others were having to cover his shifts while he was in recovery. That would be a headache all on its own. He was giving the runt a week's paid vacation time off, and in the meantime, someone else would have to pull his weight.

Feeling eyes on the back of his head, he turned to find Atem barely a foot away, hands clasped behind his back, watching him. He didn't look expectant, just curious. 

"I'm going to have to call you back." Before the person on the other end of the line could protest, Kaiba hung up the phone, effectively ending the conversation.

"You're still busy," Atem observed quietly, turning to stare out into the perfectly manicured lawns.

"Unfortunately. What is it?"

"I was simply wondering if I could wander the grounds while you work," he shrugged, a quick bird-like dip of his shoulders. 

"Not alone, you'll get lost." That, and having an ancient pharaoh wandering his estate on his own made him uneasy. Since Satomi's emergence, he wanted both of them where he could see them. If not, then he at least needed to make sure with absolute certainty that he knew where they were. Overprotective, yes, but if it prevented another incident, then so be it.

"I can take him, Seto."

Both men turned to find Mokuba, hands stuffed in his pants pockets and grinning a few feet away. Atem smiled, turning back to his boyfriend.

"Is that all right with you, blue eyes?"

(The beast rumbled softly in approval, causing the water to ripple at the edges where it rested.)

The CEO sighed, rolled his eyes, and jerked his chin toward the patio doors. Taking that to mean yes, Atem's smile widened. Stepping closer, the pharaoh stood on tip toe to press a quick kiss to his cheek before darting outdoors, Mokuba not far behind. Kaiba watched as his little brother led Atem down the lane towards the back gardens, pointing things out as they went. They soon passed around the fountain and out of his sight. 

After another minute of quiet reflection, he redialed the number and resumed his earlier conversation. He was distracted through the rest of his deal with the man on the other line, his thoughts elsewhere. Not one to ever succumb to daydreams while on the job, Kaiba shook himself free of more pleasurable thoughts and returned to business.

\---

An hour and a half later found the CEO in the library, relaxing with a novel and cup of tea before dinner. Rushing through business wasn't his style, but a headache had blossomed behind his eyes, and he needed to be alone in order to recharge. So far, it had worked, and now he was immersed in a classic novel he'd been meaning to pick back up.

Soft footsteps padding across the polished wood floors made him look up. Still dressed in his ripped jeans and white button up - minus the belts and collar - Yugi stood a few feet away, tucking a strand of gold behind his ear and regarding his boyfriend carefully.

"I thought you were sleeping." Kaiba's voice traveled well despite the soft tone.

"I was," Yugi shrugged, sticking his thumbs in his beltloops. "I woke up and went to find Atem, but didn't feel like getting lost in your big ass house, so I came here to chill instead. Looks like you beat me to it, though." He gestured to his boyfriend's novel and cup of tea, which sat on a side table within reach, along with his phone.

"He's with Mokuba in the back garden," Kaiba said, returning to his novel. Without looking up, he motioned Yugi closer with a forefinger, moving his book aside and offering up his lap. "You're supposed to stay warm," he added, noting the lack of the jacket he'd brought with him.

Climbing carefully into his boyfriend's lap and curling up against his side, Yugi draped his legs over Kaiba's and made himself comfortable. With a hand on his shoulder and a pair of legs draped over his, the CEO found himself quite comfortable. Plum and ebony locks tickled his chin as Yugi placed his head on Kaiba's shoulder, supposedly reading along with him.

"I was cold when I got up, but you're nice and warm."

He wouldn't admit that what they were doing was _cuddling_ ; they were just sharing the same space in relative comfort. Kaiba hummed, rubbing a hand up and down Yugi's bare arm.

"Missing your space heater?" he asked, quietly turning a page.

"That too, but you'll do."

He snorted, causing the golden curls around Yugi's face to billow in the slight gust before settling. Conversation ceased, and for awhile, neither of them spoke, content to sit in silence and enjoy each other's company. (The water remained still and calm, not a ripple in sight. Dappled sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting green tinted shadows across the calm blue surface.)

A vibration split the air, sharp and clear. Without looking up from his novel, Kaiba reached over to the nearby table and grabbed his phone. Marking his place with a slip of paper and closing the book, he opened the text, aware of Yugi's eyes following his every action with idle curiosity.

"It's Mokuba," he clarified, setting his book aside to reply to the message, "wanting to know where we are."

"What a spoil sport," Yugi huffed, burying his face in the long neck in front of him. 

"Dinner's in a half hour, and you want your space heater back." The raised eyebrow was lost on his boyfriend, who likely would have ignored it anyway.

Quiet silvery laughter spilled across the bare skin of his neck, causing a slight shudder to slither down his spine. Replacing his phone on the nearby table, Kaiba looked up to find himself almost nose to nose with the smiling creature in his lap, straddling his waist proper with arms casually draped around his neck. 

"Aw, five minutes?" Yugi pleaded, batting his eyelashes and inching closer.

"You'll get three and like it," Kaiba muttered, eyes flashing as he grabbed a handful of denim clad ass and yanked his boyfriend the final few centimeters, their lips crashing together in a heated, sloppy dance. Small fingers scraped at the hair on the back of his neck, winding their way through the sleek chestnut strands and yanking slightly, tilting his head back. A low moan tumbled from his lips that Yugi gladly swallowed, swiping the tip of his tongue against Kaiba's lower lip, seeking permission to enter.

(A deep rumble of pleasure emanated from the beast's lair, setting the walls aquiver and the lake waters bubbling happily.)

A large hand strayed up the back of Yugi's shirt, callused fingers marking a path up the expanse of toned flesh, kneading and squeezing its way steadily upward. Kaiba granted the probing tongue access, his own dancing and rolling in a kind of rushed rhythm as he mapped out the inside of Yugi's mouth, kneading the firm flesh of his backside and eagerly lapping up the hushed, breathy moans and stuttered exhalations falling from his boyfriend's lips.

Just as his cock gave an insistent twitch, making itself known to the equation, someone cleared their throat in the doorway, startling both men, their lips unlocking with a soft smack. Both turned to find a smirking Atem, white and purple wildflowers adorning the crown of his head, and a scowling Mokuba, arms folded and an eyebrow flirting with his hairline. He also had a flower crown wound gently in his hair, this one made of baby's breath and wild yellow daisies.

"Whoops," Yugi whispered, smiling apologetically and climbing out of his boyfriend's lap.

"That better _not_ become a habit," Mokuba grumbled, glaring up at his elder brother, who simply stared back, totally unashamed. (Why should he be? They were still dating, and hopefully after they all had The Talk, they still would be for the foreseeable future.) 

"It won't be," Yugi promised, going to greet Atem, who bent to gather his partner in his arms for a warm hug, releasing him quickly and carefully placing a crown of violets and aster among the spiky locks. 

Mokuba rolled his eyes, approaching his brother and forcing him to lean down so he could place a crown of honeysuckle and white roses on his head. 

"There," the young Kaiba proclaimed, smiling when he was satisfied with his work, "all done. Dinner's almost ready, by the way." He tossed them all a stern look before hurriedly leaving the library, apparently under the impression that if he stuck around too long, more sloppy makeouts would occur. 

"These are cute," Yugi smiled, cupping a wild blossom threaded through Atem's ponytail and leaning in to give it a whiff.

"Mokuba's idea," the pharaoh explained, tucking a stray lock of golden fringe behind his partner's ear and dropping a brief kiss to his temple, right below where the stitches stuck out, a dark mark on otherwise flawless skin. (Satomi was rotting for it, and it gave the beast a savage surge of pleasure to know the Dark Woman would bother his treasure no more.)

"Figures," Kaiba muttered, getting to his feet and gathering his empty tea mug and shoving his phone in a front pocket. ( _After_ turning off the vibrate function, a hard lesson to learn, and one he would not forget anytime soon.) Leaving the book sitting on the nearby table and turning off the lamp he'd used to read by, the CEO strode from the room, motioning for the twin noodles to follow.

\---

Dinner was relatively quiet, as one could expect in the Kaiba household. Mokuba demanded everyone wear their flower crowns until they were given to one of the staff to preserve. Atem asked how each of their days went, so that conversation lasted halfway through the main course. Kaiba managed to maintain his dignity throughout the course of dinner, despite wearing the _ridiculous_ crown of flowers his brother and boyfriend had picked for them. (He'd rather die than admit they were actually kind of nice and he didn't mind terribly that he was made to wear it.)

Tea in the sitting room was slightly more subdued. Atem and Yugi kept shooting Mokuba glances, perhaps wondering when he'd buzz off and leave them be, and too polite to say something about it. Finally, Kaiba couldn't take it anymore.

"Mokuba," he called, interrupting what was no doubt a gripping tale about his school yard dueling prowess. "The twin terrors and I need to have a little talk."

"Ugh, if you guys are gonna make out again, _please_ do it behind closed doors." Mokuba shot him an anguished look, nose scrunching in displeasure.

"The door _was_ closed until you butted in," Kaiba gently reprimanded, setting down his now empty tea cup. Yugi snorted into his tea and Atem sighed, shaking his flower bedecked head with a smile.

"Fine, but I'd better not hear _anything_ when I'm trying to sleep," he grumbled, standing and taking his tea cup with him into the kitchen. Kaiba rolled his eyes, pausing to hand his cup and flower crown off to the young woman who came to clean up after them. 

Atem and Yugi were all smiles and polite exchanges, carefully handing her their own flower crowns. She assured them all that she would do her best to preserve each of them and headed off to the kitchen with the tea tray, likely to collect Mokuba's for the same reason.

Finally alone, Yugi stretched and flopped over onto Atem's side. Left with a single daisy behind his ear, the pharaoh chuckled, gathering his partner in his arms and glancing over at Kaiba expectantly.

"Follow me."

Without giving them time to protest, Kaiba stood, striding out of the room towards the grand staircase. If they exchanged puzzled looks, he missed it. They caught up with his long stride halfway up the stairs, falling into step on either side of him. 

"Ooh, are we headed to your room? Hashtag scandalous.~" Yugi trilled, lowering his voice as they passed Mokuba's room.

"I can't believe you just that out loud," Kaiba grumbled as he opened his bedroom door, ushering them both in before following after them, shutting the door with a soft click.

Yugi's silvery giggles filled the room as he turned to face his boyfriend, his mirror image at his side like always.

"Okay, enough fooling around. Well, maybe later," he quipped, bright smile fading to be replaced by a more serious expression. "You wanna go first?"

Kaiba shrugged, going to stand in front of his neatly made bed, turning to face them.

"This whole.. _experiment_ ," he began, glancing from one boyfriend to the other, "was just that at first: an experiment. To see if things _could_ work out." Yugi opened his mouth, but the CEO held up a hand for silence. "Let me finish, then you can say whatever you want." Exchanging glances with Atem, who nodded, Yugi turned his attention back to the brunet with an identical nod.

"It's been an.. _interesting_ week, for lack of a better word." Yugi snorted but kept his mouth shut. "Over the course of the week, I've had to constantly examine my feelings, which is _not_ something I enjoy doing. Anytime one of you said or did something to make me think this whole thing was worthwhile, I had to stop whatever I was doing just to question your motives." He began to pace, eyes boring a hole straight in front him, afraid of what he would find if he so much as chanced a look in their direction. 

"Every single kiss or compliment had to be broken down and examined from every angle. I'm not.. _proud_ of it. My mind works differently than most people's." This was the most he'd ever talked to them about something that didn't involve dueling or ancient Egyptian prophecies. Once he began, the words didn't so much as trickle out in tiny bursts as they rushed out in a rapid flood. "That being said, I didn't _dislike_ anything we did; whether it was just kissing, or.. _more_ ," sapphire eyes flickered toward Atem and then away, "whatever we did was fine. Hell, it was _more_ than fine." Yugi smiled, a soft upward curl of his lips that radiated genuine happiness. 

"Then what's the worry, Kaiba?" he asked, head tilting to regard him carefully.

"If this keeps up.." Kaiba trailed off with a muttered oath, coming to a stop and staring at the wall above their heads. "I'm going to fuck this all up somehow." There, he said it, it was out in the open. He promised they would talk things out, and that's what they were going to do. He set his jaw, keeping his head held high. No way he was going to break down and appear _weak_.

"We all do sooner or later," Yugi murmured, slowly approaching the CEO with care. "But that's what a relationship is all about. If you love someone, you talk things out with them and work it out like adults." Motioning Atem forward, his other half complied, coming to stand on Kaiba's other side, creating a strange sort of close-knit triangle. "And you know something else?"

"What." Kaiba frowned, eyebrows cutting a deep furrow in his usually smooth brow.

"I do kinda love you. My brain on painkillers is a hell of a thing, but I wasn't lying."

Kaiba's sharp intake of breath and widening eyes were not missed by either of them. Gently taking one of his hands in each of theirs and giving a comforting squeeze, they waited patiently while the normally stoic brunet bowed his head to collect himself. 

"And I was not lying when I said Yugi was not the only one," Atem murmured, interlacing their fingers.

Three deep breaths later, Kaiba raised his head, looking down at each of them, determination gleaming in the striking sapphire eyes. (The flood waters had calmed to a soft rush, gurgling over the smooth stones on the riverbed and emptying over the nearby cliff.)

"Okay, my turn," Yugi chirped, clearing his throat. "We've been rivals for a long time, and I never really saw myself with anyone but Atem. No offense." At Kaiba's shrug, he kept going. (He wasn't offended, always having suspected as much, especially during the Ceremonial Duel.) "Um, anyway. You weren't kidding when you said this week was interesting. I certainly didn't think I'd be _kidnapped_ in the middle of the day."

"Aibou," Atem admonished, raising a brow at his other half.

"Right, sorry," he apologized, sending a sheepish smile Kaiba's way before continuing. "Basically, I'm glad we did this. We still have one more day, but I'm hopeful that this.. _thing_ we built can last." Finished with his speech, he shuffled from foot to foot, uncomfortable as always with being in the spotlight.

"That just leaves me, then." Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, Atem composed himself. Wine red eyes flashed open, revealing a swirl of emotion in their depths the CEO couldn't place. "I am in agreement with much of what Yugi has said. However," he held up a finger that wasn't interlocked with Kaiba's, "I recognize that you have indeed made quite the effort to make this work between us. From being open to affection, casual or otherwise, from saving Yugi's life, to helping keep my anger in check, there is only one thing I can conclude from our experimental week."

Tipping his chin up, fierce, regal, making a striking and impressive figure despite his current attire (or perhaps because of it), Atem flashed a dazzling grin at his boyfriend that rivaled the moonlight spreading beneath the curtain from the closed balcony doors.

"You, Seto Kaiba, are the water to my fire, the calm to mask Yugi's windstorm, and the one I would like to spend the rest of my time here in the living realm with so long as you will have me."

Kaiba froze, whatever he'd been about to say dying on his tongue. Even Yugi looked surprised, only to burst into delighted laughter that filled the room, seeming to brighten the space all on its own. 

"Wow, 'Tem, I think you broke him."

For once, the pharaoh looked sheepish, reaching up to caress a thumb down Kaiba's cheek. The gesture seemed to snap him out of whatever reverie held him spellbound. Since both hands were currently occupied, he leaned into the touch, turning to place a brief kiss to the smooth palm.

"No, but that was the absolute _gayest_ thing I've ever heard in my life. We're even now." Giving each of their hands a final squeeze, he slowly backed off until the back of his knees bumped into the bed frame.

"I dunno, I think you could beat that if you wanted," Yugi shrugged, casually leaning against his other half.

"Have we decided what to do, then?" Atem asked, looking from one boyfriend to the other.

"We can decide tomorrow, right Kaiba?"

The CEO nodded, carefully perching on the edge of his bed. It was still early yet, only just nine o'clock according to the alarm clock on his bedside table. Reaching into his front pocket, he took out his phone, setting it on charge and turning it off for the night.

"Do you wish for us to leave now?" Atem's question caught him off guard. Raising an eyebrow, he shook his head, stripping off his socks and tossing them in the hamper in the corner.

"No. You can stay." He did not look up to see their mystified expressions. It was still a lot for him to absorb. The fact that someone other than his little brother harbored any kind of affection for him was a tough pill to swallow. It would take some getting used to, having two other people in his life who actually gave a damn about him, not in the least that he felt the same for them. 

(The beast heard the Sun King's words and struggled to believe them. The boy was just that: a boy. Sure, in time he could come to love the beast, but _would_ he? Yes, it decided. He would. It adored the violet-eyed boy that had stumbled his way into its lair and refused to leave, eventually becoming its most precious treasure. The Sun King was silent for a time, staring into the crystal clear water, as though hoping to find the beast's true feelings written in their sparkling depths.)

"Did you wanna.. _do_ something, then?"

Yugi's hopeful inquiry brought a host of images to the forefront of his mind, and he batted them away with considerable difficulty. 

"The doctor advised you not to participate in any strenuous activities for at least a week," Kaiba stated, locking eyes with the pint-sized whirlwind as he unbuttoned his shirt and undid the snaps on his cuff links. "Last I checked, sex was considered a strenuous activity."

"I didn't mean _that_. I mean, unless you.. _do_ want to?"

Yugi shuffled uneasily under Kaiba's scrutiny. He wasn't trying to make his boyfriend uncomfortable, especially if that _particular_ activity wasn't on their to do list. He said nothing, tossing the garment into the hamper along with his tie until he stood in nothing but his white dress slacks, chest bare and chin held high.

"Perhaps another time, _mery-i_ ," Atem murmured, always the voice of reason.

"No, that's.. we can.. _try_ ," Kaiba was not known to hesitate, having to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat to get the sentence out. Being a virgin at twenty didn't bother him so much as making himself that vulnerable to someone did, let alone _two_ someones. 

"Wow, are you, uh.. are you _sure_?" Yugi's reluctance didn't make sense. Hadn't they been close to it in the library? Maybe it meant a lot more to him now that they'd finally had a chance to talk things out. Atem said nothing, smoothing down the folds of his skirt.

"Yes. Now get over here before I change my mind."

That snapped Yugi right out of it. With a mischievous tilt of his lips, he threw himself into Kaiba's lap, knocking the CEO off balance and onto his back on the soft cotton duvet. Atem's quiet laughter made both look up to find him backing towards the bedroom door.

"If that is the case, then I will return momentarily." Without another word or backward glance, he strode from the room, leaving the door ajar so the last thing to go was the hem of his skirt swishing around the corner.

Kaiba was left with a pouting Yugi Mutou straddling his waist. Giving his hips an experimental thrust upward, he once again gained his boyfriend's attention.

"Well, I don't think he's in the mood. Bit of a shame, really." He sighed, pillowing his small arms on his boyfriend's broad chest, laying his chin there and jutting his bottom lip out in clear disappointment.

"What, can't handle me without him?" Kaiba kept his tone playful, despite the churning butterflies taking over his stomach.

"I _can_ ," Yugi snorted, rolling his eyes and focusing on the man beneath him, "it's just more fun if he participates, too."

The CEO hummed, trailing his fingers up and down his boyfriend's spine in a soothing gesture, his other hand snaking around the man's waist, tracing the line of his waistband with a single thumb. 

"We'll take it easy on account of your injury." Though the words were meant to be kind, that didn't stop his lip from curling at the end of the word, a distasteful reminder of the person who put it there. Yugi rolled his eyes and sat up, placing his hands on the soft bedspread on either side of Kaiba's face, using the leverage to support his weight as he leaned down to press their foreheads together.

"I'll be fine, I know I can trust you."

Eyebrows furrowing and lips turning down into a frown, he made no move to bridge the gap between their lips, giving his backside a comforting squeeze to show that his boyfriend's trust was not unfounded. The sound of the door opening and closing drew their attention upwards. Atem had re-entered the room, both backpacks in hand, which he placed in front of the bedside table and bent to rummage in.

"Até~!" One would think Christmas morning just came early with the look Yugi shot his other half.

"Oh, carry on. Don't mind me," he murmured, his back to them.

"Are you not in the mood?" Gods, he really _was_ pouting now, looking almost sullen from his lofty perch.

"We'll see, dearest." It was not technically a no, so Yugi's answering hum sent a pleasant vibration through Kaiba's chest and straight to the calm waters of his soul, which rippled minutely in response. Another experimental jerk of his hips brought the violet eyes right back to where he wanted them.

"I think someone's a lil impatient.~" Yugi all but sang, and it was like he had a direct route straight to his arousal, which gave another feeble twitch. 

"Pharaoh, your twin is being insufferable," Kaiba remarked, giving Yugi's ass a light smack. 

Instead of the silvery laughter he expected, an unrestrained moan burst from the man atop him, fleeting and quiet. Wriggling in apparent delight, he glanced over his shoulder at Atem, whose head shot up at the sound. Turning his head slowly and locking eyes with the CEO, the pharaoh's teeth grazed his bottom lip, thinking. _Tempted_.

"Oh man, you're gonna miss out, Temu," Yugi smirked, turning flushed cheeks and glazed eyes back to the man beneath him.

"Should have known you were secretly kinky," Kaiba muttered so only Yugi could hear, raising his voice to address Atem next. "You know, that outfit _does_ look damn good on you."

"I know, right? Bless Anzu for sending it." Yugi wriggled his denim-clad ass again, sending a bolt of desire straight to his groin.

"And what exactly are you hoping to gain with your flattery?" Atem asked, his gaze still locked on Kaiba's prone form.

He didn't miss a beat, delivering the deadpan line with ease.

"Your skirt on my floor and you in my bed, calling my name and begging for release."

The look on his face was _priceless_ , Yugi's silvery laughter finally filling the air. He couldn't tell if the elder King of Games was blushing thanks to his darker skin, but he didn't miss the wide eyed look, or the bob of his adam's apple as he swallowed. 

"Holy shit, same." Shooting his other half a pleading look (what Kaiba would later come to refer to as 'The Giant Purple Eyes of Doom'), Yugi gave a pleased cry as Atem stood, pulling the loose ivory fabric of his shirt above his head and tossing it to the floor.

"All right, blue eyes," Atem strode forward, the skirt dropping from his waist to pool around his feet in one swift motion, "it seems you will get your wish."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now ya'll know why this took so long for me to get out. Again, I apologize. I hope to whatever god exists that the final day will not be so obscenely long. This is by far the most I've ever written for a chapter in any of my fics.
> 
> There are probably typos/crappy sentence structure I'll have to fix later, but for now, take this hot mess as is.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading! I'll try to get the next chapter out within a couple of days. It's just gonna be straight up porn, so batten down the hatches. <3


	8. Day Six (Part 2): Polymerization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three hearts combine to form one powerful alliance.
> 
> Water, Fire, and Wind coexisting in pleasant harmony.
> 
> Three elements uniting to create a balance, equals both together and apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh look, more metaphors.. If ya'll thought I would pass up the opportunity to name the chapter after That specific Spell, then oh boy, do I have an update for you.. (Let me die as the biggest nerd of all.)
> 
> Friendly reminder that you are free to criticize my smut, as I write with an ace's bias. I'm learning as I go.
> 
> Anyway, let's get these dweebs to bed, yeah? <3

Seto Kaiba never thought he'd get to bed his rival, let alone _both_ of them. At the same time. It was a fucking dream come true, quite literally.

Atem approached on silent feet, lithe and calculating, a lion stalking his prey. A pair of cream briefs were all that covered his hips now, and soon they would join the rest of his clothing on the bedroom floor. Coming to stand beside his partner, he ran the tips of his fingers up one muscular thigh, still clad in his white dress slacks and belt. (A spark ignited, a blaze of white fire flickering to life and illuminating the darkness.)

"Would you like to lead, Yugi?" he asked, coming to kneel by Kaiba's head, the bed dipping under the extra weight.

"Oh, _absolutely_ ," Yugi breathed, slowly unbuttoning his shirt with that familiar mischievous gleam in his violet eyes. Kaiba decided to snap out of it and help him along, and soon the shirt joined Atem's on the plush beige carpet. 

He would never describe another man as beautiful (Atem was damn near _gorgeous_ so that word never suited him), but if he _had_ to put the word to anyone, Yugi Mutou fit the bill. With his soft skin, cherub cheeks, and large, bright eyes, his shirtless form was a sight to behold. Tiny scars dotted the flesh, some faded, others more recent. The chafing marks around his neck and wrists had faded some, but the sight of them still made the beast snarl in anger. (The fire grew, sending up sparks into the gloom and flickering angrily, casting muted shadows across the vast expanse.)

"I think we are all _far_ too clothed, don't you?"

Atem's question brought an eager nod out of Yugi, who wasted little time in sitting up to undo Kaiba's belt buckle. White slacks were tossed across the room, a pair of denim jeans following close behind, fingertips marking a burning path in the dip between hips and thighs. No one was quite sure where they landed in the darkness, but they would find out later. Now clad only in a pair of silk white boxers, Kaiba found himself surrounded on both sides by three-toned hair, ocher and cream skin, and toned, corded muscle. 

"Here, lie back against the pillows," Yugi instructed, scooting out of his lap to sit cross-legged on the bedspread. Eyeing him carefully, Kaiba did as he was asked, and was rewarded with a spiky head of hair between his legs, spreading his knees apart and wiggling into the space he'd created. Not to be left out, Atem took the spot to his right, curling up against his side and tossing his ponytail over one shoulder. 

"Relax, blue eyes," he murmured, tenderly tracing the faint scar around Kaiba's neck, leaning down to press a sweet, chaste kiss to his lips and drawing back to survey Yugi's work. "Are you going to do the honors, _aibou_?" he asked, a smirk threatening to spread across his face.

"You got to last time, so why not?"

The glide of silk against his cock proved to be _very_ distracting. Yugi seemed in no hurry, taking his time to coax the garment down, and with an obliging lift of his hips, it dropped off the edge of the bed. Now fully exposed to the air, a thoughtful hum left his boyfriend's lips. Honestly, he wished the noodle would just get on with it. Speaking of noodles, Atem's fingertips traced a delicate path down a sculpted cheek, turning his face so now all Kaiba saw was a lion's mane, a pair of intense eyes, and enough tanned skin to last him a lifetime.

"If you'd like us to stop at any time, we will," he murmured, going back in for another kiss. This time, Kaiba had no intention of letting him draw away.

As soon as their lips brushed, he swung an arm around the pharaoh's waist, pinning the man to his chest while Yugi worked his magic down south. A tiny hand wrapped around his length and began coaxing it with deft upward strokes. A ragged moan dropped from his lips as the nimble fingers worked him over, drawing back the skin to add teasing swipes of his tongue to the tip. 

Speaking of tongues, Atem's slipped its way into Kaiba's mouth, swallowing the noises he didn't bother to hold in while adding a few of his own. Blunt fingernails scraped down the expanse of tan flesh, coming to rest at the waistband of his briefs, coaxing heated breaths from the man nestled against his side. Dipping his fingers under the waistband, Atem froze, drawing away to press teasing, teeth-filled kisses to his pulse point. (There would be bruising come morning light, but he couldn't find it in himself to care right then.) Hearing no objections, Kaiba's fingers continued south, around the curve of his lower back and down through the neat trail of short curls until they brushed against the length of aroused flesh.

Getting a pleased hum for his actions, Kaiba threw caution to the winds, jerking the briefs down in one swift motion to pool around his knees. Atem got the hint, kicking them off and nearly hitting Yugi in the head in the process. Murmuring a quick apology (Yugi shrugged, laving a stripe up the underside of his dick and clamping his hands down on the thick thighs as they jerked upwards in response), he allowed the CEO to explore the newly exposed flesh with hesitant fingers, wrapping them carefully around the length of flesh and giving a light tug. 

"It won't bite you, blue eyes," Atem chuckled, lacing their fingers together and guiding the hand in steady, rhythmic strokes. Despite the humorless snort, he watched in amazement as the flesh beneath their fingers hardened and lengthened, the skin a slightly darker color there compared to the rest of him.

The man between his legs was doing a damn fine job; at one point, the entire thing disappeared down his throat, an impressive feat in itself. (The fire spread, a single teardrop flame igniting into a veritable blaze of ice white, coating the darkened floors and slowly making its way up the walls.) Kaiba had to stop what he was doing then, his thighs clenching as a muted whine slipped from his throat. 

Threading the fingers of his free hand through the soft plum curls, Kaiba gently coaxed Yugi into a faster rhythm, communicating primarily through gentle tugs and sweeping the gilded fringe out of his boyfriend's eyes. Careful to mind the stitches, he never pulled harshly if he could help it. Eventually, he had to call a halt to the process, or the whole point of this would quite literally blow up in their faces.

"Gods, _stop_ ," he ground out through gritted teeth. Atem's hand and Yugi's mouth stopped moving at the same time, the latter giving the tip of his cock a final swipe with his tongue before withdrawing completely.

"Are you all right?" Atem asked, voice filled with nothing but concern as he swept the sweat slicked brown hair from his forehead with the hand not still wrapped around his own length.

"I'm fine," he muttered, letting his free hand slide through Yugi's hair and flop onto the duvet beside him.

"I think he's just about ready, Other Me," Yugi smiled, sitting up to straddle his hips, Kaiba's flushed tip prodding at his backside.

"Do you have a position in mind you would like to try?" Atem's question brought a multitude of images spilling from the Box, but he swallowed and shook his head. Undeterred, he tugged their linked hands from his lap, pressing his lips to each of the pale knuckles, one by one, until he came to the faded scar around his wrist. "If you're embarrassed, you can whisper it in my ear. I won't laugh or judge you."

"He's right, you know. I won't laugh, either," Yugi's thumb flicked across one of his nipples, drawing a sibilant hiss from between clenched teeth. "Probably," he added after a moment's thought.

Jerking the hand from Atem's grasp, Kaiba grabbed the base of his perfect ponytail, dragging him forward to press his lips against a pierced ear.

"I still want you to call my name when you finish, as long as it's.." he paused, hesitating. It wasn't like him, but Yugi was staring at him, and he had a funny feeling he could still be heard. Teeth grazing the pharaoh's earlobe, tongue dancing and flicking across the metal studs, he waited until a throaty moan tore from his lips before muttering the rest into the shell of his ear and drawing back to face him.

"Are you sure? That could be a lot to handle."

"Yes." Seto Kaiba was done trying to figure out if he was _sure_ about anything. He'd played his cards right, and now he wanted to see how the results played out.

"Very well. Yugi," he called, the man in question snapping to attention, "you get to stay right there. I'll be right behind you."

Blinking once and tilting his head, it took Yugi a moment to get his meaning, a wide grin exposing tiny white teeth when he finally put the pieces together. Kaiba gave an impatient roll of his hips, jostling the man atop his lap and causing a silvery giggle to erupt when he felt the insistent poke from behind.

"Well, lucky you. Atem loves giving, so lay back and do everything he asks of you, and you won't have to worry about anything for the next, oh.. twenty minutes? Give or take."

"Oh, is that all?" he quipped, watching Atem gently detach himself from his grip and lean over the side of the bed, returning a moment later to set a small bottle and three foil packets on the night stand. "Aren't you a prepared little boy scout," he muttered, a touch of anticipation roiling in his gut and stoking the fire within.

"Hm? A what?" The bottle cap popped open, and the pharaoh busied himself by squeezing an appropriate amount of what was no doubt lube onto his fingers before setting it back on the night stand.

"Nevermind, 'Tem. Just work your magic on our tough old dragon," Yugi smirked, flicking a thumb across the other nipple, earning a pleased grunt for his efforts. 

Atem disappeared behind Yugi, and Kaiba lamented the loss of warmth. (He really _was_ like a portable space heater.) A pair of hands slowly spread his legs apart, and he tensed as a slick fingertip traced the rim, almost clamping his thighs together if Yugi hadn't been within squishing distance. 

"Shhh, it's okay, babe," he cooed, leaning to hover right over the glazed sapphire eyes, caressing a finger down his cheek, "Relax, or you're going to kick Atem in his pretty face, and then no one will be happy. Here," he reached over to the bedside, grabbing the bottle and squeezing a generous amount over the long fingers. "I'll let you do the honors for me, how's that?"

The slick finger backed off, and Atem's head appeared over Yugi's shoulder, looking like he'd sprouted a strange growth. Kaiba almost felt bad for the hold up, but he couldn't help his reaction to the foreign appendage. Sure, he was no stranger to touching himself, it was a great stress reliever, but having someone else do it for him was _completely_ different. The CEO realized he'd have to swallow his pride for a change and just learn to enjoy the new experience.

"Okay," he cleared his throat, fingers whispering down Yugi's side to grab the hip to his left, his right hand venturing behind, trailing hesitantly down the bare cleft until he found what he was looking for. Making eye contact, finding the pair of violets waiting ever so patiently, a slight upward tilt of his lips was all the consent he needed. 

Taking great care not to hurt the man in his lap, Kaiba eased a single digit in, stopping at the first knuckle to gauge Yugi's reaction. A soft sigh, low and sweet and ghosting by his ear told him all he needed to know. Atem's head disappeared and he returned to his previous task, sucking and nipping a wet trail up the inner thigh in front of him, hitching it onto his shoulder and repeating the process for the other.

A tap to his collarbone brought his attention back to the man in his lap. Eyebrows furrowing in concentration, he slipped the finger further in, noting how easy and simple it was. (The lube likely helped, even if it felt downright strange.) Yugi buried his face in the long neck, squeezing the duvet to his right and the shoulder to his left. Whimpering softly in the shell of his ear as the finger sheathed itself up to the hilt, Kaiba carefully withdrew the finger even as a slick digit pushed its way inside his own entrance. Atem waited patiently for him to acclimate to the feeling before sliding it farther in. 

(The beast squirmed in pleasure, the water trickled down into the lake in tiny rivulets, and the fire smoldered, spreading up towards the heavens.)

Once Kaiba got the hang of the motions, he had Yugi wriggling on top of him, inserting another finger and crooking both upwards, searching for something in particular. Really, he just followed with what Atem was doing to him and using it as a guideline. It seemed to be working, at least. The man atop him latched onto his collarbone, sinking his teeth into the flesh and keening, laving his tongue over the tiny crescent bite marks he'd created by way of apology. (If Kaiba didn't know any better, he'd sworn he just hit That Spot, and he was eager to do it again, even if his boyfriend nearly took a chunk out of him for it.)

Atem soon added a third finger, and the CEO lost whatever semblance of dignity he'd maintained thus far. The finger brushed something inside him, and his vision went grey around the edges, thighs trembling and cock _begging_ to be touched. Once the feeling subsided somewhat, he mimicked the action, adding a third finger at Yugi's insistence.

"Still all right, blue eyes?" Atem murmured, drawing his attention with a tap to his inner thigh.

"Yeah. Gods, just.. _hurry_ ," he all but pleaded, impatient to relieve the fiery ache in his groin.

Without preamble, the slick fingers withdrew and he breathed a sigh of relief. He made sure Yugi was thoroughly prepped, unsure if he could even take this much, but his boyfriend didn't let him down. As soon as the fingers withdrew, he reached over to the bedside table, snagging the foil packets. Handing one over his shoulder to Atem and laying the others beside him on the duvet, he snagged one, ripping it open with deft fingers and offering it to the panting CEO beneath him.

"Here, I don't wanna mess up your nice white sheets," he quipped, flushed and smiling like the most strenuous thing he was doing was engaging in the duel of his life. (Technically, it wasn't far off to say they were dueling, just not _against_ each other. If anything, they were all working as a team.) Taking the offered condom, he pinched the tip and rolled it onto Yugi's length with relative ease. (Sex Education in Japan was much better than in places like America. Also, the internet exists.)

He heard rather than saw the rip of foil that indicated Atem had made use of the one Yugi handed him. The noise seemed loud in the intimate space, with moonlight spilling across their bodies and down the length of the bed, filtering through the light curtains over the balcony doors. Another rip of foil split the air, and with it, the man atop his waist sat up on his knees, pinching the tip of the condom between a forefinger and thumb, shooting his boyfriend a salacious wink before rolling it down the considerable length below him.

"We're all good to go here. How about you, Até?" 

Kaiba took a deep breath, feeling something rubbery align at his entrance. Soothing him with gentle caresses, Atem lowered the calves from his shoulders, hitching them around his waist instead, placing one hand on the bed for leverage and the other to his boyfriend's hip.

"I'm ready. We'll go slow, blue eyes." His soft tone did wonders for Kaiba's nerves, as did the affectionate nickname. However, one tiny detail was missing.

"That isn't my name, pharaoh."

His face was blocked by Yugi's halo of sweat slicked curls, but he could imagine the confusion now lacing his sculpted features.

"Kaiba?"

With a roll of his eyes, he said nothing, letting his fingers trail up and down Yugi's side, eventually coming to rest on the round, firm flesh of his ass and giving a slight squeeze, studying his boyfriend's face and noting the flushed cheeks, wide pupils, and the ever present stitches marring his temple. 

" _Seto._ "

The name dropped from his lips like a heaven-sent prayer, having put two and two together before the pharaoh could even open his mouth again. Gazing up at his boyfriend with half-lidded eyes, Kaiba was entranced by the angelic picture hovering above his waiting arousal. 

" _Yes_ ," he growled, lacing the fingers of their free hands together. 

Atem repeated the name, a wondrous litany falling from the lips of a god as he slowly pressed inwards, aided in his journey by the slick lube. Not to be outdone, Yugi slowly sank down on his boyfriend's cock until he bottomed out, flushed to the tips of his hair, a light sheen of sweat collecting on his brow. 

(The beast keened and shivered at the sound of its true name, tail lashing; the clear waters rushed over the cliff with a raging intensity to create a thick mist down below; white hot fire _surged_ , carving a path into the dark recesses, tossing up sparks and silver ash in its wake.)

Fully sheathed to the hilt, Atem snaked an arm around Yugi's waist, fingers ghosting down the toned flesh and coming to rest at the base of his erection, gripping the rubber-coated flesh and giving it a hearty tug. Yugi came alive under his touch, leaning back against the broad, dark chest and tilting his head back, stuttered endearments spilling from his lips. The pharaoh's perfect ponytail bobbed into view over his partner's shoulder, pointed chin casually resting against his skin.

"Remember, dearest. Slow and steady. We do not want to overwhelm him."

"I know," Yugi breathed, turning to drop a kiss to the slicked back hair above a pierced ear. "You work your magic, and I'll work mine."

Atem chuckled, the rich throaty sound sending vibrations all the way south where their bodies joined, a jolt of pleasure sparking in his groin in response. Kaiba focused on the sensations, tiny fingers squeezing his in a vice-like grip as Yugi began to move. Slowly up, then back down again, finding a steady rhythm. Behind him, the pharaoh withdrew until the very tip was all that remained, sliding back in with relative ease. They'd used barely a handful of lube between them, but the condom helped lessen the drag somewhat. Tiny ridges marked the path of Atem's slow thrusts, and Kaiba realized he'd been given a 'ribbed for her pleasure' version. _Classy._

Their slow pace was all fine and good, but Kaiba wanted _more_. Maybe Atem had been right to say he was insatiable; either way, the high was wearing off, and he needed to pick up the pace if he was ever going to find his release. Kneading the flesh beneath his fingers, his grip tightened, bringing Yugi swiftly back down from an upward stroke in a powerful downward thrust that shook the bed frame beneath them.

The cry that spilled from his lips was absolutely _sinful_ , and was music to Kaiba's ears. 

"Ohhhhhh, _shit_ ," Yugi hissed, biting his lip and halting the next roll of his hips upward. 

Atem's hand stilled along with his thrusts. (Obelisk _no_ , keep going!) He paused long enough to shoot his partner a concerned glance before turning lust-filled eyes downward. Kaiba met those dark eyes with his own head on.

"Seto?"

The sound of his given name sent shivers spiraling down to his core. (The beast, now transformed into a man, drew in a heated breath, deep blue eyes filled with adoration for the man hovering above him, the expanse of tanned flesh seeming to glow with the light of the sun for which he was named. His treasure, safely out of the lair and enjoying the company of his play mates, had no idea of the activity currently taking place. The walls reverberated with their hushed cries, the slap of skin on skin dominating his senses.)

"You don't need to coddle me. Give me all you've got." The note of challenge in his voice was hard to miss.

"Please, for the love of Osiris, do that _again_ ," Yugi begged, throwing his own pride out of the window in favor of satisfying his own desires. "I'm fine, Temu. I wanna keep going."

"Very well. Seto," he called, snapping the CEO out of a lust-filled haze of grey and gold lightning, "hold on."

At a nod from his boyfriend, Atem withdrew slowly, the ribbed edges of the condom creating a delicious burn as he slid out, only to slam back in with a quick snap of his hips. (Spitting ice blue tendrils into the sky, the fire blazed heavenward, licking up the dark expanse and spreading still further, unable to be quelled into submission.)

The action jolted Yugi back down on top of him, drawing out a muted curse that was quickly swallowed by the sounds of skin clapping against skin as Atem picked up the pace, nuzzling into his partner's neck and planting butterfly kisses along the tender flesh. The hand that wasn't squeezing Kaiba's calf and digging his fingernails into the muscular flesh reached out, searching the darkness for something he couldn't see. He found it a moment later, fingers sliding between his own and filling the space with their strong grip against Yugi's flesh.

Holding hands was something Seto Kaiba never did with _anyone_ , even his own kid brother. Considering the circumstances, he found he didn't mind quite so much, using the strong grip to ground him as their pace continued, the relentless rhythm unceasing as the minutes wore on.

"Hey, Big Bad Dragon," Yugi whispered, leaning down to nuzzle into his neck, leaving tiny sharp nips to the skin that brought out quicker thrusts from below. The man's disjointed moans in the shell of his ear nearly made him come right then. "Whose name are _you_ gonna call, hm?" Kaiba's head ( _both_ of them) was rather occupied with other thoughts, but the small part of his brain that contained his sense of humor didn't miss a beat.

"Obelisk's."

Soft laughter spilled from his lips, the sound of tinkling wind chimes filling the intimate space to peter out in a high pitched whine as he arched his back, chests sliding together and hearts beating in tandem as Yugi rode out his climax, mouth hanging open and pupils blown wide, calling their names to the heavens. Atem's fingers squeezed his own, watching his partner coming undone at the seams. Carding the fingers of his free hand through the plum and golden tresses, Kaiba helped him down from his high, turning to brush their lips together and humming his soft approval. He hated the salty taste that lingered, but brushed it aside in favor of savoring the pair of plush lips gliding against his own.

Atem quickened his pace further, Arabic endearments tumbling from his lips as he rolled his hips into the man beneath him. (The part of his brain that could still translate foreign languages recognized every word. Yep, _still_ a gross sap.) With an electric jolt sparking below, Kaiba threw his head back against the down pillow, thrusting back against the pharaoh and freezing in place once he hit That Spot for the final time. With a groan, Yugi rolled off the large body below him to curl, thoroughly sated and spent, against his side. Kaiba's back left the sheets for a brief moment, his toes curling and thighs trembling with the effort, dropping back against the bedspread and crushing Atem's fingers in his as he came down from his orgasm, the bed creaking under his weight.

(The white hot fire scoured the space, bursting into a glorious conflagration of blue, white, and silver tinged with red and indigo. With nothing left to feed the blaze, it simmered down to embers that glowed faintly in the darkness. Clear water burst from the mouth of the rocks, tumbling over the smooth stones in a rush of blue before it faded to a slow trickle. The beast who was now a man, grey hair sweeping out from the temples among the soft brown and following the shapes of his pointed ears, whispered his King's true name to the twinkling stars, slitted pupils dilating in a pair of deep blue eyes, the light of the sun above him fading to reveal his regal lover, auburn spikes sticking to his forehead among his lion's mane. Dropping back to the floor of his lair, he wrapped strong arms around the Sun King, drawing him close as he rode out the throes of passion. Rich laughter filling the space, the King of the Sun Kingdom nuzzled into the long neck of his mate, having reached his own release moments ago, just content to curl up against his side, radiating satisfaction and adoration.)

Riding out the final thrusts, Atem came with a shudder and a breathy moan falling from a soft exhale of breath. The ridges burned a slick path as he slid out, but the burn felt _good_. Giving Kaiba's fingers a final squeeze, his grip slackened, pulling out entirely and unwinding the strong legs from around his waist, dropping quick butterfly kisses to both before setting them gently on the duvet, which had suffered minimal damage. A few wrinkles that could be ironed out in the morning, no big deal.

The sound of rubber sliding off white-soaked flesh filled the room. Gathering the used condoms, Atem left the room to drop them into the bathroom garbage. He returned a couple minutes later, water dripping from his bangs and looking thoroughly content. He curled up against Kaiba's other side while Yugi hopped up to take care of his own clean up.

Fives minutes later found the trio huddled against the headboard in the nest of soft pillows, clean and snuggling together under the warm covers. With Kaiba in the middle and the twin disasters on either side, the CEO couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so at peace. 

"Ah, that was a _blast_ ," Yugi grinned, stretching his legs like a satisfied cat after a romp in the grass. Atem hummed in agreement, his head tucked in the hollow between Kaiba's neck and broad shoulders, eyes shut as though attempting sleep. It was just after ten according to the alarm clock on the bedside table, but no one seemed ready for sleep just yet. Kaiba's fingers traced idle patterns in the darkened skin or else played with the ends of his unbound mahogany locks. His other thumb caressed Yugi's cheek, their legs lazily intertwined. Again, he shunned the prospect of _cuddling_ , refusing to attach the word to their current activity. (It was cold, and they were sharing body heat, that was all.)

"It was.. _something_ ," Kaiba mused aloud, grunting in surprise as Yugi shifted position, throwing one leg over his raised knee and draping himself across the broad, scarred chest. Placing his chin on folded arms, he stared up at his boyfriend in drowsy adoration, violet eyes shining, "Pleased with yourself, are you?" he asked, sweeping the gold fringe from his face, revealing the dark stitches tracing the line of his temple.

"Oh, yeah," Yugi hummed, nuzzling into the touch. A sigh, low and sweet, dropped from his lips as Kaiba shifted to press a quick, hesitant kiss just below the dark line of stitches. Apparently craving more, he placed his weight on his forearms, leaning forward to capture the CEO's lips in a lazy display of affection, gliding smoothly together, and ending with a tiny swipe of Yugi's tongue to his bottom lip before he finally drew back.

Rich laughter sounded in his other ear, and the pharaoh's warm fingers laced together with his own, having thrown an arm over his waist when Yugi shifted to his new position. With a roll of his eyes, Kaiba dropped another kiss, this one to the crown of Atem's lion mane, inhaling the sharp scent of his shampoo and sighing, utterly content for a change. His other hand danced down the warm expanse of sun-kissed skin, earning a pleased hum that seemed to rumble from deep within. The sound pleased him, reminding him even more of the King of the jungle.

"Thank you for that experience," Atem mumbled into his neck, lifting his head to nip gently at the pulse point, sucking almost lazily at the skin until it reddened under his touch, only then drawing back as a stifled hiss rent the air. Silvery laughter followed not far behind, and Kaiba knew he'd have one hell of a hickey come dawn. He'd have to repay the favor, maybe catching one of them unawares while they slept. Now _that_ was a wake up call. For now, sleep was calling him into its warm dark folds.

"I'm assuming you'll both be sleeping here tonight."

Yugi shrugged, exchanging glances with Atem. Receving a lazy nod in confirmation, he returned his attention to the scarred flesh in front of his nose, nuzzling against a collarbone and pressing a tender kiss to the skin.

"If that's okay with you," he murmured, finally shutting his eyes and settling down.

"Well, I'm not going to get rid of you after such an _exceptional_ performance." Kaiba felt rather than saw Atem's lips spread into a smile.

" _Tusbih ealaa khayr, habibi._ My blue eyes," he murmured, his steady even breaths lulling the CEO into a peaceful trance. (He made note of the possessive, a warmth blossoming in his chest with the words. The beast curled around his sun-blessed lover, watching the peaceful expression on the normally stoic face as he slept on before drifting off himself. He was too exhausted to attempt a transformation back into the larger scaly form. That would have to wait come dawn's first rays.)

"Night, Seto. Night, soulmate."

"Goodnight, lion. Goodnight, pipsqueak."

(The water's surface remained calm, barely a ripple marring the smooth surface. Warm embers cooled, the last of a grand white flame extinguishing with a final feeble flicker. The beast rumbled gently in his sleep, warm and sated, more content than he'd been in a dragon's age.)

"Good night, moon--" Yugi began, falling silent when Kaiba shoved his nose against the broad expanse of his chest, earning a muffled giggle.

"Shut the fuck up, or I'll smother you," he threatened, glaring half-heartedly down at the man nestled comfortably against his chest. Lifting his head with minimal effort, Yugi shot him a brilliant smile that sent the stoic brunet's heart into overdrive.

"Love you, dragon," he whispered, lowering his spiky head with a soft sigh, bright violet eyes closing once more.

Their deep even breaths soothed Kaiba's frazzled nerves and calmed him down like nothing else had. He remained awake long after Yugi and Atem had fallen asleep, watching the moon rise further into the pitch black sky, or watching his boyfriend's peaceful faces as they slept. He heard the patter of tiny footsteps in the hall that meant Mokuba was finally retiring to bed, and listened intently until the door across the hall shut with a soft click.

After his brain was too exhausted to keep the gears turning, Kaiba shut his tired eyes to the world for another day, a final thought whispering into the quiet room before unconsciousness finally claimed him.

"Love you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tusbih ealaa khayr, habibi. = Good night, love.
> 
> This chapter is also on college student reading level, I'm crying.... Over 5.3k words of straight up porn. #nice
> 
> I decided to spoil you guys silly. Hopefully the position was plausible and nothing seems amiss characterization wise. Atem isn't ready to receive quite just yet. Maybe in another fic, we'll see.
> 
> If there are any typos/bad sentence structure, I'll fix it later.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading! I'm not touching this fic for another week, I have a coffin with my name on it, ciao~! <3


	9. Day Seven: Dragon Capture Jar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the wind howls, its fierce roars echoing far and wide.
> 
> Other times, it whispers, slipping into the intimate space between limbs on a sleepless night.
> 
> And sometimes it hisses, spitting its poisonous vitriol from a mouth dripping with honey and swimming in bile.
> 
> If you don't listen, you'll never hear the murmur of sound reverberating off the walls of your heart.
> 
> Three become one, and in the end, the wind calms the wicked blaze and sets the waters rippling towards the shore, raking cold fingers over the warm expanse of sand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally hit day seven! God, I'm sorry this took longer than a week to update. The last week has been rough for me. Manual labor around the house, and getting sick because I kept staying up late writing this mess.. idk about ya'll, but I'm ready for my next break from this fic lmao. Also, ao3 refused to let me post this until now, so for once I am not entirely at fault.
> 
> I continue to give no hecks about naming the chapters after Spell and Trap Cards. 8)
> 
> Also, I wrote more porn, which took two days (off and on) to write because I actually had to think about it and got fed up with myself halfway through. I hope it reads okay and that it feels believable. As always, constructive criticism on my smut is welcome, as I write with an ace's bias.
> 
> This is 15k words on a college graduate level. I hate myself.
> 
> Without anymore yapping from me, thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy! <3

Seto Kaiba awoke entirely too warm, slightly sore, and from a dreamless sleep he didn't remember entering. He was surprised to find that he was curled around something warm and soft, the smell of lavender and spearmint tickling his nose.

Opening his eyes a fraction, he was greeted with sunlight streaming through the eastern balcony window, spilling onto the floor, a light breeze setting the curtains aflutter. He didn't remember opening the balcony doors. A shock of plum and gold shifted, tickling his chin. Lifting his head, he became aware of two things.

One, he was naked.

Two, he was wrapped around a sleeping Yugi Mutou, also naked.

(The beast awoke, cold and naked on the floor of his lair. A quick survey of the space told him the Sun King had gone, collecting his armor and disappearing at dawn's first rays. It was used this by now, but the normally cold-blooded creature lamented the loss of its lover's warmth. Standing, the man slowly transformed back into its large scaly form. Its face elongated and grew, the spine lengthening with resounding, sharp cracks, and claws extended from its hands and feet. A pair of leathery wings sprouted from its back and reached towards the ceiling, the snap of sinew echoing off the cave walls. Opening its slitted, deep blue eyes, the man who was now a dragon padded off on all fours in search of its other companion. Perhaps the boy had returned with the sun, even as the King left to attend to his own affairs.)

His hands were curled close to his shoulders, half his face lying on the plush down pillow, the other half nestled against Kaiba's neck and shoulder, eyes closed. They'd shifted position during the night, clearly. One of his legs was hitched around the man's hip, thick muscular arms cradling Yugi close.

Memories from last night presented themselves: flashes of mahogany tresses shot with gold lightning; the soft, deep rumble of a pleased jungle cat; sweat-slicked skin sliding against skin; silvery laughter like the tinkling of wind chimes; moans and hushed cries echoing off the walls.

(He was getting hard just _thinking_ about it. Better toss all that in the Box and slam the lid.)

Kaiba shifted carefully, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Yugi stirred, heated breath spilling over his boyfriend's neck as he hummed, but did not wake. The newly wakened CEO watched him sleep for a few minutes, envious of the peaceful expression that graced his features. Just as he brushed the gilded fringe trapped in the corner of his lips away, a movement on the balcony caught his attention. The silhouette of a man stood at the railing, his back to them. The head turned, a long sheaf of hair billowing in the slight breeze behind him.

"Blue eyes?" he murmured, the rich baritone clearly audible even from this distance.

"Atem," Kaiba mumbled, the name automatically jumping to his lips. He shook his head, chin brushing Yugi's crown; still, the man did not wake.

 _Figures_. Reaching back, he felt the sheets behind him: chilled despite the sun's rays. No portable space heater. No wonder his back was so cold, despite his front being almost uncomfortably hot.

"Would you like to join me?" Atem asked, keeping his voice low so as not to disturb their sleeping lover.

He could feel the chill from here. Then again, the pharaoh would be nice and warm; perhaps if he coaxed the lion into his arms, it would combat winter's frigid fingers. It was time to get up anyway, he'd clearly overslept. With utmost care, Kaiba uncurled his considerable frame from Yugi's and sat up, sliding from under the covers to tuck them neatly around the still sleeping noodle. Without their body heat, he'd surely wake up, wondering where his dragon and portable heater had gone off to.

In a fit of uncharacteristic tenderness, the CEO bent over his tiny lover, pressing a feather light kiss to his temple before withdrawing. Yugi sighed, curling into a ball beneath the sheets, drawing the duvet over his bare shoulders before settling in his improvised nest.

With a snort and shake of his head, Kaiba went in search of his clothes. The ones that littered the floor the previous night were gone, but a pair of sweats were folded neatly on a chest at the foot of the bed. Snagging them, he slid them on, noting with a wince an uncomfortable soreness down below. It did not pain him unduly, so he ignored it, brushing aside the curtains and stepping out onto his balcony and into the crisp morning air.

The pharaoh stood at the railing, his back to the CEO and leaning on his arms, something clutched in his hands as he stared out into the back garden. Birds called to each other in the green-shrouded treescape; their musical chirping, combined with the cold, did nothing to improve his mood. He slowly approached Atem, coming to stand by his side at the railing. Now that he was closer, Kaiba noted the steaming mug of what smelled like coffee in his hands and was instantly jealous.

"Good morning," said Atem quietly, reaching out to brush his knuckles down the length of his boyfriend's bare arm. The tingling sensation left behind felt great on his chilled skin, and Kaiba craved _more_ of it.

"I'm going to assume you've been up for awhile. Were you the one who picked our clothes up?"

"I did," Atem smiled, gesturing to a second steaming mug on the small table that sat nearby. He really only used it for warm summer nights when work kept him up well into the early morning hours. Grabbing the mug, he noted Blue Eyes roaring majestically from the white porcelain and resolved to thank him for his kindness. Taking a tentative sip, he found that it had been made to his exact specifications, just like always. (Thank you, Mokuba.)

"Do you always let the pipsqueak sleep in?" Kaiba found himself asking, a trace of fondness entering his tone.

"Only when he does not have to work," the pharaoh replied, arm falling back to his side.  
  
Another sip of coffee and Kaiba was feeling much more awake, and in a slightly better mood to boot. (A slight breeze played about, stirring the inner recesses of his thoughts. It brought with it a sharp chill reminiscent of his third day of their week. It was a sensation he did not wish to repeat.) Glancing down at Atem, he was surprised to find the man as shirtless as he now was.

"Aren't you cold?" He only asked out of idle curiosity, and to confirm one of his own theories. (Not because he _cared_.)

"Hm?" Atem glanced up from his coffee mug, spearing him with inquisitive wine red eyes. "Ah, no. I never really get cold. Yugi calls me his portable heater."

Kaiba snorted into his cup of coffee.

"Yugi's not the only one," he muttered, not low enough.

The pharaoh's rich laughter carried into the air, dislodging a flock of birds from their roost. He quickly quieted, chuckling into his coffee mug. Both men turned back, glancing over their shoulders into the bedroom. Yugi remained stationary, facing away from them and breathing deeply. Identical sighs of relief left their lips as they turned back to the view once more.

"Did you sleep well?" Atem inquired after awhile, when their coffee mugs lay empty on the table and he stood with his back pressed against Kaiba's chest, the strong arms wrapped around his middle and the pointed chin nestled in his lion's mane.

"For a change. You?" The pharaoh hummed, a soft rumble deep in his chest that solidified the lion metaphor in stone.

"Very well, thank you." After a comfortable pause, he asked another question, fingers filling the empty spaces Kaiba's left around his waist. "Will you be going back to work today?"

It was a rhetorical question, but one he would answer anyway out of courtesy.

"I don't really have a choice."

"There is _always_  a choice, blue eyes."

A sigh ruffled the curled lightning at Atem's brow, catching the light as it danced and then settled. If he didn't go to work, then he would fall even further behind, and his company would suffer for it. Even on a Saturday, there was plenty to do, and there was no telling what kind of paparazzi circus he would have to manage on top of everything else. No, the sooner he got the work day over with, the sooner he could return home and spend the remaining hours of their week with the tri-colored noodles. (That still made him chuckle, and he had no idea where he'd come up with it.)

"Then I _choose_  to go so I can get it over with and come home." Giving Atem's hands a final squeeze, he regretfully let go, stepping back from the pleasant warmth and intending to go back inside. He managed a single step forward before a hand encircled his, drawing him back.

"Then I have one more thing to tell you."

Kaiba found himself pushed back against the railing - a surprise in itself, as he was a strong man. He felt another heartbeat below his own, a press of skin to skin. Atem had caught him mid stride, using his body to pin the CEO to the old stone rail. With his height, the back of his knees bumped into it, causing a grunt of surprise to escape.

"You know," he began, sense of humor surfacing despite the tense bunch of his shoulders, "if you wanted to take me against the table, I wouldn't object."

"Not this time," the pharaoh chuckled, leaning as far into his personal space as his meager height allowed. "I simply wished to thank you. I heard what you said last night."

Kaiba had to wrack his brains for the appropriate information, and when he found it, a scowl split his features.

(Wind whistled through the hollow passages of the beast's lair, ruffling its wings as it lay playing with its treasure. He was still trying in vain to put together the golden puzzle he had found in the beast's lair three harvests ago. The Sun King had opened the box it was found in and ever since then, at least once a week, the boy would visit the beast and sit nestled against its warm belly, putting the pieces together and asking the beast to tell him stories while he worked. The melody the wind created was cold and buzzed at the back of the beast's mind like a swarm of Luxian Wasps. Irritating and _loud_.)

"I thought you were sleeping." He wouldn't be making that mistake again anytime soon.

"It takes awhile for me to fall asleep, and when I do, it is very light." Atem shook his regal head, inching ever closer. "I also wanted to thank you for last night. It was one of the most pleasant experiences I've had since returning to this life."

Kaiba swallowed down the customary pithy remark and instead slid his arms around his boyfriend's waist with a nod. If Atem didn't back the hell off for five seconds, they were both going to topple over the railing and then nobody would be happy. Also, there was the little ( _large_ ) matter of the sudden stiffness in his pants that he was sure could be felt from outer space. (Note: Dicks from outer space. Plausible? Maybe just an elevator to the space station he was totally going to build would suffice.)

"You're welcome, I guess."

There was only one thing the noodle could possibly want, and even though the angle would be awkward as hell, he may as well give it to him. Just before their lips met, Kaiba grabbed Atem's biceps, and with a quick forward thrust of his hips, he was free, turning to pin the pharaoh to the stone railing before he knew what hit him.

"Ah, Kaiba?" He said nothing, bending down to where they were mostly at eye level. "I take it that is something you would like to do again?" The CEO seriously considered it. He had the other right where he wanted him (almost, he was _getting_  to that), their bodies pressed flush against the railing, his knees prying apart Atem's thighs, worming his body into the small space until their hips aligned.

"Maybe. Do _you_?" Kaiba wasn't a monster. If Atem told him to back off, he would. He wasn't used to holding himself back from something he wanted ( _craved_ ), but if it was necessary, he was capable of respecting the man's boundaries. The pharaoh's arms wound their way around his neck, though he had to stand on tiptoe to accomplish the feat.

"And Yugi?" Well, that wasn't a no. Figures he'd be worried about excluding his life partner, although if the brunet were honest with himself, he'd feel slightly guilty if Yugi didn't participate as well.  _Slightly_  didn't mean he wouldn't pass up the opportunity anyway, now that it had presented itself.

"You said it yourself. Let him sleep in." Atem was silent for perhaps a few heart beats, contemplating his own desire versus wanting to include his ( _their_ ) other half. He seemed to be staring at some point over Kaiba's shoulder, fingertips leaving a tingling path down the long expanse of his neck and coming to rest just over his collar bone.

"Are you sure? Here? _Now_?"

In answer, he bent lower, locking his arms behind Atem's thighs and, receiving no objections, hoisted the man onto the edge of the stone railing. His ankles crossed just under Kaiba's backside, yanking him closer with a powerful flex of his thighs until there was barely an inch of space left between them.

(The breeze picked up, setting ripples across the vast lake waters and ruffling the grey hair at the beast's crown, blowing it out of the deep blue eyes that watched its treasure try in vain to fit more pieces of the puzzle together, the rhythmic clicking lulling the beast into a pleasant doze.)

"Yes. _Now_ ," he murmured, pressing their foreheads together, roughly rolling his hips and receiving a throaty moan falling from an exhale into the shell of his ear. _That_  was more like it. Desire won over logic, which was not something he was going to get used to. Just this once, he reasoned, and then he could start his work day. Surely the company could wait another hour? He was used to pulling all-nighters anyway.

"Set- _ah_!" Atem swallowed thickly, gnawing on his lower lip to keep his cries in check. He'd never known the pharaoh to be so _submissive_ , and the thought excited him. This would still require a certain amount of self-control, but if anyone was capable of repression, it was Seto Kaiba.

"Hush," he warned, lowering his head to nibble and suck at the unblemished throat presented to him. That would be fixed momentarily. "Unless you _want_  to wake Yugi."

"Ah, but," Kaiba silenced him with a well-placed thrust of his hips, but the pharaoh was not to be deterred. "No lube," he managed, fingernails scraping the back of his neck with increased vigor. He had a point, but the CEO had a solution.

"Don't worry, we'll get to that." He had absolutely no idea how to get Atem in the mood, and he didn't think utilizing his ticklish spots would be enough. How had they managed last night? A combination of guidance and nimble fingers, teasing caresses, and sloppy french kissing. He'd have to work on that last bit more.

"Don't you have work?" The pharaoh's question nearly gave him pause, but Kaiba shook it off like a dragon shaking water from its back.

"Later," he mouthed against Atem's neck, teeth grazing the skin from jaw to collarbone and back again. One hand inched lower, tracing the outline of a very clear erection. "Do you trust me?"

"With my life." Atem keened at the touch, leaning into it. Wanting _more_.

Later, when he was alone in his office, he'd replay this particular exchange over and over again and wonder how he ever got so lucky. They weren't technically a Thing yet, but he was definitely leaning towards keeping Atem and Yugi for the long haul. (Even the rattling Box of Emotions couldn't sway his decision. His will was as iron; it could bend, but would _never_  break.)

Satisfied with the marks Atem could no doubt hide with ease due to his darker complexion ( _he_  would know they were there, and that was the important part), Kaiba withdrew from the reddening flesh to lock eyes with his boyfriend. There was no time to describe the emotions he saw in the swirling red-violet depths, as he found himself suddenly rather _occupied_  with a pair of plush dark lips crashing into his own, the force of Atem's fervor rocking their hips together and creating a slide of delicious friction against his cock.

No time to hiss in pleasure, as the glide of tongues against teeth, nipping whatever flesh they found convenient, and the rough, guttural moans that slid into each other's mouths with increasing urgency kept them busy. Kaiba briefly remembered to keep the volume to a minimum, but that didn't lessen the stroke of his thumb against the hardening flesh beneath the dark grey sweats.

"Won't be needing these," he quipped, finally releasing the pharaoh's bottom lip with a sinful smack and hastening to undo the ties that bound the garment, obscuring the press of his arousal from view.

"Wait," Atem ground out, clamping his jaw shut with a smart click of his teeth before the needy whine could escape to the air. "We can't do it dry."

"I _know_ , lion." The nickname caught his attention, but Kaiba was growing impatient. ( _Easy_ , dragon. This must be done the right way.) "You first."

The last knot fell away, and with it, more dark skin was revealed. He really _did_  have a nice body, the CEO thought, eyes tracing the line of compact muscle that began somewhere below his pectorals and melded into what his female coworkers might refer to as 'the V'. (He knew everything that went on in his company, including the gossip. Just because he didn't _care_ doesn't mean he didn't take note of some things.) A trail of sparse dark curls traipsed down the curve of his abs inches below his belly button, the end destination still hidden by soft cotton.

"What about you?" Atem breathed, fingernails carving a rough path from Kaiba's neck all the way down to his waist.

"Getting to it. Here." Making sure Atem was secure in his rather precarious position on the rail, he held up three fingers in front of his mouth. "Suck," he commanded, voice pitched low with the authority he usually reserved for his employees.

Raising a brow, the pharaoh did as he was told, one finger disappearing down to the last knuckle, tongue circling the digit slowly as though savoring the taste. One hand encircled his wrist, holding it steady; the other left Kaiba's waist to prop himself up on the cold stone, using it as leverage to maintain eye contact all the while. The second finger followed suit, getting the same treatment. (He really  _would_  have to ask where the man learned all this. For an ace, he sure knew his way around. That wasn't a disparaging remark on his character, Kaiba was actually _amazed_  he knew what he was doing.)

A third finger probably wouldn't be necessary, but Atem needed all the preparation he could get. It was a wonder Yugi took him in so well the night before, but he had no idea if his boyfriend would handle it the same way. Regardless, it got the same treatment as the first two, and now that his fingers were sufficiently coated, Kaiba gently withdrew them from his boyfriend's eager mouth.

"Here, move your legs." The legs around his waist dropped, heels knocking quietly against the stone bars evenly interspersed beneath the rail. With a lift of Atem's hips, the sweat pants dropped, dangling from his ankles. Kaiba didn't dwell too much on the length of flesh nestled between his thighs, half-hard and waiting to be put to use. That would come soon. (In  _both_  senses of the word.)

(Wind whistled through the cavern, disturbing the beast's slumber and setting the lake waters splashing about merrily. No, that was just his treasure, playing along the shoreline now that he couldn't make any further progress with the puzzle for the day. Lifting its fur-tipped tail, it followed the boy's progress up and down the sands, chasing him into the water and fleeing the hands that grabbed for it with practiced ease.)

Spreading his thighs further apart, as far as the sweats would let him, Kaiba backed off half a step, slick fingers reaching until they found the bare cleft of his ass. It wasn't as cold as it had been earlier, the heat of their bodies staving off winter's chill, but neither paid the weather much notice anymore. It didn't take much searching, but Atem did have to move forward another half inch before the brunet found what he was looking for.

"This okay?" he asked, noting the furrowed eyebrows and scrunched nose.

"Yeah, go ahead."

Middle finger idly tracing the rim, he slid the digit in slowly, thumb tenderly tracing the underside of Atem's neglected erection. The furrowed brows disappeared, pupils blown wide and his head thrown back, golden fringe dancing in the meager breeze that set the curtains fluttering behind them. A stuttered moan spilled from his lips as the finger slid further in. Last night had been much easier, but Kaiba was undeterred. The pharaoh neglected his own pleasure in favor of making his partners happy, but that didn't sit well with the CEO, who much preferred an Atem gasping his name to the heavens and sweating beneath him than an Atem working him over with deft movements of his wrist and coaxing an orgasm from oversensitive flesh.

Sheathed down to the last knuckle, he was kind enough to let the man acclimate to the feeling before sliding it back out and in once more. He repeated the process once the second finger became necessary, crooking them upwards in search of a particular spot. Placing a steadying hand on Atem's lower back, he coaxed the man forward until their bare chests brushed, nuzzling the crown of the wild lion's mane, unbound and free flowing.

He knew he hit That Spot when Atem bucked against his fingers, latching onto his neck, a low whine sounding below his ear as the man writhed in pleasure beneath him. He repeated the motion just to savor the noises he was trying so desperately to stifle behind the hand looped around his scarred neck. Head bowed, the lion's mane danced in the slight breeze as Kaiba's fingers worked their magic, marveling at the hardening arousal above his hand. He didn't have to see it to know it stood flush against the press of their bodies.

Sliding in a third finger, Atem shuddered as it joined the other two, practically fucking himself on the digits alone. (That image was sure to haunt his dreams in future, and he had absolutely _no_  problem with it.) Growing impatient, Kaiba withdrew the fingers slowly, wiping the excess moisture on the knees of his pants. He let the pharaoh catch his breath for perhaps a minute before peppering his jaw, cheeks, and temples with brief kisses that were more for Atem's benefit than his own.

"Blue eyes," he panted, lifting his chin and drawing away from Kaiba's tender assault, "what about you?"

He took a moment to think about that, making sure Atem was still interested in the prospect of sex. Half-lidded eyes locked on his own, and this time, he took the time to read the emotions they conveyed. Tipping his chin up with a forefinger, Kaiba studied the man's sculpted face, searching for any signs of reluctance or pain, the pad of his thumb tracing the line of his bottom lip.

"Depends. How do you feel about putting that expert mouth of yours to work again?"

"I would not object," he murmured, pressing swift kisses from the knuckles of Kaiba's hand and working his way up the inside of the arm, pausing to graze his teeth gently over the crook of the elbow. If the CEO didn't know any better, he could swear Atem was _worshiping_  his body as he went. Tugging lightly on the ends of the long hair and drawing his boyfriend's attention upward, he gripped the thick locks at the base of Atem's skull, drawing him up for a fevered clash of tongues and sharp nips of teeth to kiss swollen lips.

" _Seto_."

The repeated utterance of his given name between open-mouthed kisses pleased him to no end, as did the hand that came down to scrape the heel of his palm against the tip of his cock, sending a frisson of heat up his spine and a quiet moan falling from his lips.

Kaiba would probably be glad to stand here and make out with his boyfriend on any other day, but that was an indulgence he didn't have the time to pursue. Huffing in annoyance at the next heated touch to his groin, he gently pushed Atem's shoulder until their lips parted, a wet trail of saliva dripping down their chins. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, the brunet took a step back, coaxing Atem off the cold stone rail with him.

"Here, time to put that pretty mouth of yours to work."

The pharaoh smirked, heedless of his nudity and wiping the spit from his chin with a quick swipe of his hand.

"As you like." His playful tone was not lost on Kaiba, who had not relinquished his grip on the lion's mane. Pausing to quickly swipe the cold stone from his backside, the pharaoh knelt in front of him, using his discarded sweat pants to cushion his knees from the smooth balcony floor. Kaiba's soon followed to pool about his feet, leaving miles of pale skin exposed to the morning chill.

Cupping a muscular thigh, Atem coaxed it to rest on his shoulder, holding it there with a firm, steady grip. Glancing up through highly illegal thick lashes (Seriously, does he use mascara? Does he even know what mascara _is_?), he sought eye contact, and once he had it, immediately went to work, choosing quick, deft movements of his wrist rather than slow, torturous strokes of his fingers. He finally broke eye contact in order to push the skin back, teasing from base to tip with moist swipes of his tongue.

(Bursts of fire bathed the ceiling of its lair with bright flares of silvery blue. The beast was currently entertaining its treasure after a lengthy meal of Lunaean deer meat, cooked to perfection with the fire from its belly. The boy clapped and cheered, oohing from the safety of one of its paws at each smoke ring that blew into the spacious cavern. The brief gusts of wind carried the smoke away on the breeze. It was a favorite past time of theirs, and the boy requested each of his favorites one by one, gazing avidly at the fascinating shapes undulating in the encouraging gales.)

Kaiba's thighs trembled, Atem's ministrations unceasing, the grip on his leg firm but not harsh. In the few minutes of pleasure afforded to him, he took the time to gather his thoughts about the prospect of entering an actual long-time relationship with both rivals. It was a little frightening, truth be told. They'd constantly be in each other's hair, and even at work he would get no respite, as Yugi was on his payroll.

Somewhere between the needy, ragged whine that tore from his throat and the quick upward stroke of Atem's hand, the brunet realized that, whatever trials and tribulations awaited him in the near future, he would rather have no one by his side than the man kneeling before him, accompanied by the noodle still currently asleep in his bed. He ran through all possible simulations, mentally discarding the more painful alternatives. All while the pharaoh used his expert tongue to lave a thick stripe up the underside of his cock, which gave a rather _insistent_  twitch in response.

"All right, _stop_ ," he hissed, nails digging into the scalp. "Enough coddling, for Obelisk's _sake_."

Atem chuckled, sending delicious vibrations straight to his core, withdrawing with a sinful smack of his lips. "As you wish, blue eyes." Giving the inside of his thigh tender little love bites (fuck, fuck, _fuck_ ), he let the limb fall from his shoulder, gently setting it back on solid ground and standing to his full height, the large hand still entwined in his hair carding through the sleek strands and coming to rest on the pharaoh's arm.

"Turn around and lean against the railing."

The confused look Atem shot his way should have vexed the CEO, but he was feeling charitable today. (The blowjob _might_  have had something to do with that.)

"Aren't we going back inside?" Glazed eyes flicked toward the bedroom, where Yugi still lie sleeping among the comfortable nest of blankets and pillows.

"I thought the pipsqueak was sleeping in," Kaiba reminded him, his free hand coming up to brush a strand of gold behind a pierced ear.

"Hm, I suppose." Turning to place a chaste kiss to the palm of his hand, Atem speared him with fierce wine red eyes, and Kaiba was presented with the image of the man decked out in full pharaonic regalia, the gilded crown resting upon his brow, crimson cape fluttering in the Egyptian breeze, and he knew then why no one had stood a chance against the King of Upper and Lower Khemet. Five thousand years did not diminish his pride, grace, or humanity, and if he hadn't already been about to fuck him senseless, the thought would have come to mind right then.

"Is there a problem?" Kaiba asked, arching a perfect brow.

"Not really, but I have a request." The brunet nodded, prompting Atem to continue. "Will you.. stop if I ask you to?" Usually, he wasn't so hesitant, going after whatever he wanted with the same kind of determination Kaiba himself possessed. Put him on a dueling field, and he was all charisma and Heart of the Cards _this_  and friendship _that_. Put him in front of a room filled with rich fools and their wives (or escorts, he's seen quite a few of _those_ ), and he was as awkward as Bakura was around his group of fangirls.

"If you ask me to stop, I _will_. Regardless of how far we go." He had to always be conscious of how Atem felt during sex, it seemed. Whether giving or receiving, the need to respect his feelings would always be met. Kaiba was not a monster; he would reign in his own desires if he had to. There were other ways to achieve an orgasm, after all.

"Thank you," he sighed, finally turning to lean his forearms against the cold stone rail where, minutes ago, he'd been sitting.

(And thank _you_ , Obelisk. You were always the best Egyptian God anyway. Osiris _who_? Ra _where_?)

Running a hand down the expanse of tan, wiry muscle that made up Atem's back, Kaiba gave the round backside a cheeky pinch, all to hear the rich laughter that tumbled from those godly lips. In the absence of lube, more spit would have to suffice, hurriedly coating his length from base to tip. He'd just shove his boyfriend in the shower afterward, maybe drag Yugi in there with them so he could enjoy himself as well. It was the least he could do, since he would be disappearing to work before long.

Laying both hands with something near reverence on the dips between Atem's hips and thighs, Kaiba guided himself to the entrance, parting the cheeks with a quick shift of his thumbs.

"I don't have the time to coddle you, but I won't rush things." That was as nice as Kaiba was going to get right then. Impatience had won over, and he wanted his first time giving to be a resounding success.

"Understood, blue eyes."

Now that consent had been established (important in _any_  relationship, not just the romantic kind), they could get on with it. The tip slid in with relative ease, a shudder wracking Atem's frame before he settled, glancing back over his shoulder with hooded eyes half obscured by his ridiculous amount of hair. The next inch or two followed suit, pausing to let the pharaoh become accustomed to the considerable length. (Not egotistical, just a fact.) Once he'd bottomed out, the noodle gripping the edge of the railing for all he was worth, Kaiba leaned over, gathering the lion's mane in his hands and moving it all over to one shoulder, revealing burning wine red eyes and parted lips.

"Can I move now?"

(Eventually, the wind fluttered to a stop, only to pick up with greater intensity. The large hole in the cavern roof above the lake opened onto the sun-drenched sky that rapidly darkened with thunderheads. Sensing the storm's approach, the beast guided his treasure further into the lair to a safer vantage point where they could watch without being drenched in the coming downpour.)

"Yes, _please_ ," Atem pleaded softly, spreading his legs a little further out to give his boyfriend a better angle to work with. Not one to be told twice, Kaiba complied, withdrawing slowly until the very tip remained, sliding back in until he was once more fully sheathed.

(The howling winds tore through the area of the beast's lair, but did not reach them under the protection of its massive silver wings. The boy watched the bolts of lightning strike the earth with wide amethyst eyes, pointing out the strange shapes the clouds made to his dragon companion. The rain _pounded_  against the lake, droplets cascading from the ivy-swathed hole to fall with a resounding patter into the water below.)

A few more languid rolls of his hips and Kaiba found his rhythm, rocking gently in and out of the man bent over before him. Their pace was infuriatingly slow, but he was going to cater to Atem's whims for the moment. He was nowhere close to finishing, despite the superb blowjob from earlier, but he wasn't going to give in to his baser desires just yet.

"Faster," Atem breathed, lurching back onto Kaiba's hips on a forward thrust, causing a hiss of pleasure to spill from between clenched teeth.

"You sure? I might not be able to stop if I'm close."

"I trust you."

Those three words had more of an impact on Kaiba than if the pharaoh had waxed poetic about how much he adored the egotistical CEO and all his dragon obsessed nonsense. He could think of nothing appropriate to say in response, so he would let his actions speak for him. Pressing teeth-filled kisses to the taut muscular back, he withdrew until the very tip remained, slamming back in with a powerful snap of his hips, all the way to the hilt.

Stifling his cries in the crook of his elbow, Atem shivered, whether from the chill or Kaiba's thrusts, it was hard to tell. True to his word, the CEO picked up the pace, mindful not to sink all the way in so the noise could be kept at a discreet minimum. They didn't _quite_  succeed.

The soft pad of feet against stone made both men freeze. Turning as one, they found Yugi standing a few feet from them by the balcony doors, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and looking thoroughly drowsy.

"You guys aren't as sneaky as you think," he said, tone light and playful.

"Aibou, I--"

Yugi cut him off with a wave of his hand, padding over to pat the lion on his lustrous mane. Wearing only a white button up, the long sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he looked like someone about to take the Walk of Shame, only instead of trying to hide the love marks adorning his neck, he wore them proudly, collar drooping around his shoulders. (Cute gremlin being sexy in his house, how _very_  uncalled for.)

"Shh, it's okay. Keep going, the show was just getting good."

With a wink, he hopped onto the railing next to Atem's head, carefully moving his arms and scooting into the space until he had the pharaoh's head resting in his lap and his arms casually laying against the spread of his shoulders.

"Joining in, are you?" Kaiba muttered, making no move to continue the relentless assault of his thrusts.

"Nah, but I do enjoy watching Atem go to pieces when he's receiving. It's kinda hot, actually."

With an amused snort, Kaiba realigned himself, trying a different angle this time. Although he had the man shivering and tensing around him, he hadn't been able to find That Spot again. (Second time's the charm.)

"Typical pipsqueak." Blowing the fringe from his eyes, the brunet got back to work, snapping back into Atem with a hearty thrust of his hips. A breathy moan falling from an exhale met his ears, and he continued with his new angle, spurred on by Yugi's murmured endearments meant for his other half but which stirred something warm inside his chest all the same.

(Lightning crackled, the winds howled, and the rain splattered against the lake shore, drilling tiny holes in the sand. The beast's treasure sat in awe of the spectacle, hiding his face against one ivory claw as thunder _clashed_ , the cacophony of sound making sleep impossible for either of them.)

" _Don't_  stop," Atem shuddered, murmuring into the curve of Yugi's hip. That was all the encouragement Kaiba needed, and unless the man changed his mind, there would be no stopping until they both met their release.

Yugi stroked his other's hair, and with each snap of Kaiba's hips, it brought him that much closer to his release. Perhaps he was growing sentimental, but it didn't seem right that he should come first.

"Try wriggling your hips a little to the left."

The advice was unprecedented, but nonetheless, if it worked, they would all benefit. On the next thrust, Kaiba wriggled his hips to the left, and the sound that left Atem's mouth was the most _beautiful_  music he'd ever heard. (Second only to Yugi's silvery laughter.) With a self-satisfied smirk, Yugi rubbed the pharaoh's shoulders, the man beneath him shuddering and coming apart at the seams after a few more well-placed thrusts, crying his name into his partner's lap, coiled tighter than a drawn bowstring.

Kneading the hip on his right, Kaiba continued to rock into the man beneath him, and with a final snap of his hips, his vision greyed about the edges, a smattering of Arabic falling from his lips in a whispered caress as he stilled, toes curling against the cold stone beneath his feet.

(At long last, the storm blew itself out, carrying the thunder, rain, and lightning with it. Occasional droplets splashed onto the surface of the lake with soft plops, but other than that, silence once again reigned. The beast's treasure had not been truly frightened, and his spiky plum locks peeked around a wing's soft membrane to watch the patter of raindrops, awe filling his bright amethyst eyes at the rainbow that sparkled overhead.)

Rising from his awkward position, Atem wrapped his arms around his partner, who pressed a kiss to his temple and stroked the sweat-slicked golden bangs from his forehead.

"Not bad, dragon," Yugi murmured, tilting his head to watch Kaiba gently ease out of his boyfriend inch by inch until he was finally free.

"All thanks to you, I'm sure." The sardonic tone was evident, but not meant to be unkind. He accepted the praise with a roll of his eyes, bending to pick up both pairs of discarded sweat pants, along with their coffee mugs still resting on the nearby table where they'd left them.

"Seto." The breathy rendition of his given name gave him pause, blowing the chestnut locks from his eyes and giving Atem his full and undivided attention. "Thank you. That was.. rather enjoyable, honestly."

He shrugged, jerking his chin toward the bedroom. "Let's go, I still have to be at work soon."

"Aw, bummer," Yugi whined, slinging one of Atem's arms over his shoulder and guiding him back inside after Kaiba's retreating nude figure. "You're _such_  a workaholic."

"It's necessary."

Pausing to toss both garments into the hamper in the corner and place the mugs on his bedside table, the CEO made his way to the master bathroom, not looking back. By the time both noodles had caught up, he already had the shower going, the warm spray of water cascading over his hand as he checked the temperature. A little warm, but it was set to cool after awhile.

" _That_  wasn't there last time," Yugi said, setting Atem to stand on his own two feet so he could use the toilet and gestured to the sliding doors, the opaque glass already misting over, as well as the shower head protruding from the tile six and a half feet above their heads.

"This button here," Kaiba gestured to a panel on the wall next to the door and opposite the light switch, "brings up the doors and shower head."

"Ah, figures. You made and programmed it, didn't you?" At the CEO's raised brow, Yugi sighed, shaking his head of tangled plum curls and gilded fringe, sweeping an annoying lock behind his ear. "Of _course_  you did," he muttered, guiding Atem over to the edge of the large tub once he'd finished his business.

Both helped the pharaoh climb in, a stuttered sigh of relief escaping as the spray hit his shoulders. Turning, Kaiba found Yugi unbuttoning his shirt, blinking sleepily in the slowly steaming room.

"Is that my shirt?"

Yugi froze, fingers hovering over the final button. "Uh, yeah?"

(He immediately tossed the image of one Yugi Mutou wearing _his shirt_ , which looked more like a large white tent hanging off his slender frame, right into the Box, locking it and throwing away the key. He'd be digging _that_  out later whenever work slowed down and he actually had time to _breathe_.)

"Figures." Shaking his head, Kaiba approached the sleepy noodle, rolling both sleeves down for him and letting his hands trace the path of Yugi's shoulders, the garment falling to the tile floor behind him. "In," he ordered, bending to place a swift kiss below the stitches marring the smooth temple and giving the round backside a playful, light smack on his way to the toilet. A sharp squeak rent the air, silvery laughter following right on its heels.

"Fine, sheesh! Move over, Até."

Yugi shut the shower door behind him, leaving an inch of space to let the steam escape while Kaiba tended to nature's call. Business concluded, he climbed in after the pair, leaving the door slightly ajar so they wouldn't suffocate in the heat. Yugi hummed cheerily as he raked his fingers through Atem's soaked hair, combing out the tangles and turning the man in front of him into Egyptian jelly. (If he were any _more_  relaxed, he'd be a tan puddle on the ceramic floor.)

"Shampoo," Kaiba pointed to a tall clear bottle, dark blue gel visible below the name brand label, "conditioner," he pointed to the bottle next to it, this one a squat navy, the same label adorning its front, "and body wash," he prodded a finger at yet another bottle, this one a solid white with a different label on the front, all sitting side by side on a thin shelf that sat in the middle of the tub at chest height. "Knock yourselves out."

"Much obliged, dragon," Yugi chirped, squirting some shampoo into the palm of his hand and applying it to Atem's scalp, massaging it into the mahogany tresses. The pharaoh made a noise deep in the back of his throat that sounded halfway between a hum and a purr, and not for the first time, Kaiba was reminded of a fierce lion.

Kaiba attended to his own needs, cleaning his hands with a few swipes from a bar of soap that sat in an ornate dish on the side of the tub before attending to his hair; shampoo to the scalp, conditioner to the ends. A tap to the middle of his spine drew his attention down and out of the spray of warm water.

"Hi," Yugi said, holding up the bottle of body wash and gesturing to him with it. "Can we help?"

Turning fully, he found Atem gently massaging conditioner into his partner's plum and gold curls. Without all the leather and eyeliner, they looked like your typical young adults; not quite identical, but close enough. Maybe he just had a type. If that included ridiculous tri-colored hair, sharp wit, a proficiency for Duel Monsters, and enough snappy comebacks to fill a novel, then so be it.

"Why?"

"So we can be part of a good start to your day." He punctuated the statement with a cheeky wink and brilliant grin that made Kaiba's heart lurch in response. (That's it, he needed to have a word with the gremlin about being too _cute_  in his own damn house.) A muscle below his eye twitched. At this rate, he'd never make it to work.

"Yugi can wash your back, and you can wash mine if you wish." Atem's offer was rather generous, considering what they'd done earlier. Once again, temptation won over.

"Fine," Kaiba muttered, turning his back once more on his boyfriends. "Remind me again why there are two of you."

He didn't see them exchange a knowing glance, or the mischievous gleam in Yugi's eyes before the reply came, followed by a small hand applying the cool scented body wash to the broad expanse of his back. (What little he could reach, anyway.)

"We're double the pleasure," Atem almost sang.

"And double the fun!" Yugi concluded gleefully.

"You wanna drown, pipsqueak?" Kaiba muttered, relishing the feeling of a second pair of hands scrubbing at the shoulder blades where Yugi could not reach.

"Only in you.~"

Kaiba sighed, relaxing the stiff set of his shoulders.

"Gag me."

"That can be arranged, you know."

A lesser man would have facepalmed, but Seto Kaiba was _not_  a lesser man. An _annoyed_  man, yes.

Atem's rich laughter echoed in the intimate space. "My, what have we gotten ourselves into?"

"Well, he got into _you_  earlier, and I'm hoping to do the same tonight." They both heard the grin in Yugi's voice, but it was Atem who choked on his laughter.

"Ah, we'll see, dearest."

That was the end of _that_  conversation.

Once Kaiba's backside had been thoroughly scrubbed - he'd indulged Yugi for all of thirty seconds when his hands drifted south before waving them away - he turned so they could get his front. A silent argument broke out over whether Yugi was allowed to scrub his lower half, consisting of multiple raised eyebrows, pouting lower lips, and folded arms. In the end, he relented, and with Atem turning his back to them both with a chuckle, allowed Kaiba to scrub his back. Lathering more body wash between his palms, Yugi knelt in front of the CEO and got to work.

Calves first, his expert hands worked their way slowly upward while Kaiba slathered body wash on Atem's back, tucking the long hair over one shoulder.

"Hey," Kaiba scowled, catching Yugi's attention when his hands began to kneed and scrub their way up his shaft, his own hands stilling around Atem's waist. "Cut that out, or we'll be here all day."

"Spoil sport," Yugi pouted, knocking the back of a hand against his abdomen and standing, turning to brush by his boyfriend to stick his upturned face in the heated spray of water.

Kaiba could probably entertain them for at least another hour before necessity dictated he be at work, but if he was going to get any good at staving off temptation, he had to start now. As soon as they were all squeaky clean, he shut off the water flow, sliding open the shower door and climbing out. Fetching five fluffy white towels from the bathroom closet, he tossed two to each noodle before drying himself with the last one.

"Get dressed, I have to leave soon."

"What about breakfast?" Yugi asked, disappearing behind a fluffy towel, wrapping the other around his waist.

"No time, I'll grab something on the way."

A heavy sigh billowed the ends of the towel, a pair of shining violet eyes revealed as he wrapped it around his damp curls. Atem busied himself with carefully rubbing dry his ridiculous amount of long hair and trying not to catch his ear piercings on the towel.

"Bummer. Will you be home for dinner?"

Yugi's question followed him back into the bedroom, along with the noodle attached to it. His other soon followed, and both perched side by side on the edge of his bed while he strode across the room, getting ready for the day ahead.

"Probably not." Dressing in a smart three-piece beige suit and white tie, he took his phone off charge, placing it in his pocket, only glancing at his audience once he had everything but his shoes, which he held in one hand, tie loose about his neck.

"Well, can I ask if you've made a decision yet?" At the CEO's confused grunt, he added, "About us?"

Glancing around and finding he'd left nothing behind that he would need later, he gave Yugi and Atem his full attention, noting that each had exchanged their towels for a pair of loose khakis and fitted denim skinny jeans respectively. Kaiba had been so focused on his task that he hadn't noticed his boyfriends doing the same. (He would have to be more attentive than usual.)

"If I give you an answer now, I may not have the incentive to come back tonight."

It was an honest answer, even if the huff and roll of violet eyes heavenward sent a spark of annoyance crawling in his gut.

"At least take care of yourself today, blue eyes," Atem murmured, standing and padding over on silent feet to knot his tie for him.

"No need to get all sentimental, lion. I _am_  coming back." The pharaoh hummed, adjusting his tie so that it sat properly beneath the hollow at the base of his throat. Checking the alarm clock on his bedside table, it read ten minutes before eleven. Well past time to be gone.

Wrapping his free arm around Atem's waist, he drew the man close against his hip, leaning down until their lips were barely an inch apart, silently asking permission with simmering sapphire eyes. Cracking a brilliant smile, his boyfriend leaned in the rest of the way, wrapping his arms around Kaiba's waist and pressing a sweet kiss to the slightly parted lips. Withdrawing quickly with a tiny swipe of his tongue and playful nip to the lion's lower lip, he looked to Yugi, who had yet to comment on the obvious display of _sentimentality_.

"Well, you're kinda rude sometimes, but I love you anyway," he observed, hopping down from the bed and snuggling up to Kaiba's other side. His heart gave another lurch in response.

"Speaking of _rude_ , unless you want me to leave without paying you the same courtesy, you'll shut your adorable mouth and get over here."

Keeping a hand on Atem's lower back, he bent to scoop up a very willing Yugi into his other arm, propping the man on his hip and letting the damp noodle's arms snake around the back of his neck to cling there.

"Aw, he thinks I'm adorable!"

Before he could open his smart mouth again, Kaiba silenced him with an open-mouthed, tongue filled kiss that had Yugi clutching the fine hair on the back of his neck to egg him on further. (He couldn't have _that_ , unfortunately. Perhaps some other time, when he wasn't way behind schedule.)

"You're. Also. Insufferable," he muttered between kisses, finally drawing back to pierce Yugi with a withering glare, devoid of its usual iciness. "Behave, you literal child, and _don't_  leave the grounds. The paparazzi would have a fucking field day if they got wind you were staying with me."

"Yeah, yeah," Yugi relented, placing a final chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth, which twitched upward in response. "Go rule your kingdom with an iron fist, or whatever it is egotistical CEO's do on any normal day."

Snorting in amusement, he set Yugi gently on his feet, and with a last squeeze to their waists, turned on his heel and left the room without looking back, their goodbyes ringing in his ears. Mokuba would be in school, so that was one less thing to worry about. His kid brother could take care of himself, and would tolerate about as much coddling as Kaiba himself did on any given day. Pausing at the foot of the grand staircase to lace up and tie his loafers, the CEO strode across the polished marble floor and into the kitchen, where Isono sat nursing a cup of tea at the island counter.

"Seto-sama," he greeted, stepping down from his stool and bowing low at the waist. "Mokuba is in school, and I have cleared a path through the reporters outside the front gates, as regulation demands."

"Good."

Finishing his tea in two hasty gulps, Isono followed his boss outside through the side door and to the garage, where the sleek black sedan sat waiting in its lot, fully fueled and ready to go.

Climbing into the backseat, Kaiba dug out his phone and began the slow crawl through the plethora of e-mails while the car purred to life, Isono navigating them out the front gates with little resistance from the small mob of paparazzi littering the front lawn before the iron wrought gates.

(The beast watched its treasure sleep, his puzzle tucked away in its usual place among the hoard for the day. Folding one large silver wing over the boy, encasing him in a chrysalis of leathery hide and shimmering scales, the beast lay beside his companion, content to watch the stars bloom and dance among the vast heavenly expanse, a gentle cool breeze filtering through the caverns, its thoughts straying toward the Sun King, wondering how its human lover fared after the earlier storm.)

With his boyfriends behind him and his company laying ahead, Kaiba threw himself into the tedious work the second they reached his office. True to his word, they'd stopped at a Star Chips before coming to Kaiba Corp. Now armed with a second cup of coffee and a chocolate pastry, he was ready to tackle anything anyone threw at him.

  
\---

  
The lunch hour came and went, only consuming a large cup of green tea and a salad from the little Italian place on the corner. (He wasn't a picky eater; as long as the food was good quality, he would eat any kind of food you set in front of him. Also, the owner was soft on him; a woman in her mid-forties, genuine Italian blood flowing thick in her veins, she learned to speak Japanese as a little girl when her family immigrated here three decades past. She took no shit, which is why he respected her so much. That also might have something to do with why he always over tipped.) Kaiba still had a literal shit ton of things to get done today; he'd already had to reschedule _three_  different meetings for the following week thanks to Satomi's little stunt.

Speaking of, he made sure to press full charges against the woman, ensuring a hefty sentence. It was more than she deserved, but with no chance of parole, he could sleep soundly knowing she would be miserable for the rest of her days. Petty, yes. If she had been a man, he would have treated her just the same. Shoving his vengeful step-mother from his mind, the young CEO continued with his work, meeting with different departments, making important (exhausting) phone calls, and generally venting his spleen on anyone who had the misfortune of being in his presence for more than ten minutes.

Around three in the afternoon, Isono left to pick Mokuba up from school, which left Kaiba all alone in his office, typing away at his computer. He had to be the one to fix up a major coding mistake (someone got fired, it was just how it was), so when the pattering of raindrops that signalled the beginning of a new conversation in the group chat sounded, he reluctantly saved his progress and snagged his phone out of his pocket. Opening the app, he scrolled disinterestedly through the chat log until he came to the most recent response. (Ten minutes, he reasoned, and _then_  he could get back to work.)

xGraveKeeperx: guys, i actually wrote my first fic  
BlackDragBoi: holy shit, link me  
Kuribonbon: oh my god  
BikeBoi: Marik pls  
xGraveKeeperx: <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/8730400/chapters/20014135">link</a>  
DiceBoi: ok but this is actually hilarious...?  
PeachSunrise: how do you come up with this stuff??  
KingofGames: Everyone seems exactly as they should be.

"You have _got_  to be fucking kidding me," he muttered, clicking the link out of pure curiosity. Kaiba didn't normally talk to himself. (If there was no one else around, what was the point?) This, however, warranted the expletive. At least his boyfriends were active, though he had _no_  idea what they could be up to at this hour. (He tried not to think on it too much, although, true to his word, he dug out the image of Yugi wearing his shirt from the Box and indulged a little.)

The phone on his desk rang for the umpteenth time, so for the next five minutes (give or take), he split his focus between business and leisure, lurking the chat but not deigning to respond. He kept the fanfic tab open as well, skimming the chapters one by one after his business call ended.

xGraveKeeperx: someone named anon was pretty nasty in the comments, though v_v  
SpookyBoi: Just delete them, Marik.  
HarpyQueen: wow, that was pretty cruel :<  
BlackDragBoi: wtf who do i have to Kill  
Kuribonbon: ryou is right marik just delete and dont even engage  
SpookyBoi: Precisely. Those who send anon hate are simply cowards hiding behind a mask of anonymity.  
SpookyBoi: They think themselves superior in some way while spouting their diatribe, but they serve no purpose other than to hurt and demoralize others.  
DiceBoi: idk about you guys, but i love when he snatches ppl  
BikeBoi: tbh same

For once, Kaiba had to agree. Ryou Bakura wasn't just some fluffy, docile bunny; he had _bite_  to him. He and the geek squad didn't always get along, but he was in agreement about unnecessary anonymous hate - transphobia included. He detested those who only sought to bring others down based upon gender or sexual preference. Ishtar was no friend of his, but he'd  _never_  stoop so low as to call someone's gender a 'mental illness', and judging by the other comment they'd left, that wasn't the only problem with the fic they had. He could do a bit of hacking to find out who left such comments and made sure they never did it again, but he was busy, and Kaiba didn't have the time to be spiteful. (Another time, perhaps.)

BlackDragBoi: the love of my life is right  
SpookyBoi: Gods, you're so embarrassing..  
Kuribonbon: hes not wrong tho?? i also love when you roast ppl its the best  
PeachSunrise: is it because no one suspects the cotton puff?  
HarpyQueen: pretty much  
Kuribonbon: its also the accent

Kaiba snorted, amused, and not for the first time, curious about Yugi's relationship with Bakura. He wasn't jealous, _far_  from it. Despite Bakura's pretty face (and accent), he had poor taste in men. He resolved to ask Yugi what had happened to make the two such close bosom buddies. It might be none of his business, but curiosity was one thing he could not easily suppress.

xGraveKeeperx: done and done!  
xGraveKeeperx: transphobes are gross anyway  
KingofGames: That in particular was rather uncalled for. Please don't dwell on it, Marik.  
SpookyBoi: Exactly. We all love you as is.  
BikeBoi: except kaiba

Well, that was just fucking _rude_. He didn't have much experience dealing with Honda outside of his job, and though he was a good cop, he was also a bit of a dick when he wanted to be.

Kuribonbon: at least drag him when hes not working sheesh  
BikeBoi: are u sure there's not something up with u two??

At this point, he pretty much counted on Yugi to defend him from his friends. It was unnecessary, especially since he was pretty sure Honda had already put the pieces together. It _would_  explain the sudden dickish vibes.

BlackDragBoi: snifts the air  
PeachSunrise: snifts..........  
BlackDragBoi: i smell #gossip  
Kuribonbon: idk what you mean by something  
Kuribonbon: also he kinda saved my ass so maybe i'm a bit grateful for it  
SpookyBoi: I fail to see the problem, personally.

Sometimes, Jounouchi was deceptively bright, and though he would _never_  (under pain of death) give him credit for it, it was slightly worrisome. If nothing else, Yugi was good at covering his slip ups.

xGraveKeeperx: thanks guys, i feel a lot better now about my writing ♡

He took another few minutes to skim the rest of the fic. It wasn't terribly long, and the format made it easier for him to read through it quickly. Some of it made him cringe, but some of it _did_  get a good chuckle out of him. He had to hand it to Ishtar, the man had something good going for him. It was finally time for him to come out of lurking and respond to the chat now that he actually had a moment to breathe again.

BlueEyesCEO: I can't believe you wrote that.  
Kuribonbon: i cant believe you just took the time to read it  
xGraveKeeperx: i tried keeping you in character D;  
KingofGames: You did a lovely job, Marik.  
SpookyBoi: My favorite is chapter four.  
xGraveKeeperx: thanks pharaoh ♡

Even Atem had some good things to say, though Kaiba didn't doubt for one second that the pharaoh actually understood all of what he read.

BlueEyesCEO: Why am I in this.  
Kuribonbon: bc ur part of the #squad  
BlueEyesCEO: In your dreams, maybe.  
Kuribonbon: thats not what youd be doing in my dreams

(Don't think about they would _actually_  be doing in his dreams, or he'd never get back to work.)

BlueEyesCEO: Gross.  
Kuribonbon: we'd be dueling asshole  
BlueEyesCEO: I'd be winning.  
Kuribonbon: in ur dreams maybe

Kaiba actually cracked a smile. Their little back and forth managed to cheer him up, and not for the first time, he found himself glad to have undertaken a relationship with the pipsqueak and his other. (It  _could_  be the sex, but he figured the witty banter warranted mentioning as well.) He ignored Jounouchi's gross fawning over his boyfriend, scrolling past it to the more relevant messages.

xGraveKeeperx: what's everyone's favorite chapter?? :o  
KingofGames: I'm rather fond of chapter seven.  
BlackDragBoi: 9 probs  
DiceBoi: 10 for me  
HarpyQueen: chapter 8, definitely  
PeachSunrise: same ♡  
BikeBoi: def 11  
BlackDragBoi: figures  
BlueEyesCEO: If I had to pick one from this mess, it would be 12.  
Kuribonbon: 15 was great tbh

He only picked that one because it gave him insight into the individual relationships in the squad, both romantic and platonic in nature. He didn't much give a damn what they did or who they dated, but it was slightly fascinating to know that, no matter the individual relationships, they still remained a devoted whole.

SpookyBoi: What was your favorite chapter to write, Marik?  
xGraveKeeperx: probably the vday special :D  
KingofGames: I am also rather fond of that chapter.  
DiceBoi: have you written anything else, Marik?  
xGraveKeeperx: not yet  
xGraveKeeperx: think i might just stick to reading fic instead of writing it  
BikeBoi: b/c of the gross anons?  
xGraveKeeperx: nah, i deal with transphobia every day  
xGraveKeeperx: it just takes a lot of effort XP

The last bit gave the CEO pause. It didn't matter to him what someone was born as, it was what you made of yourself that counted. Marik Ishtar had, once upon a time, been a thorn in everyone's side. Now the squad counted him as one of their own. It just goes to show that even though someone can start out a rotten bastard, they _could_  redeem themselves and become a better person in the long run. He could probably cut the Egyptian some slack; it couldn't be easy to live in a country where your very existence was cause for persecution.

xGraveKeeperx: gosh you guys are fast readers :o  
Kuribonbon: comes w the territory  
DiceBoi: hey, are we still on for next month...?  
SpookyBoi: I believe so.

He kept scrolling, keeping an eye on his e-mail but ultimately devoting his attention to the chat. Right, he nearly forgot they were all planning to get together come March. Reluctantly, he freed up the entire second Sunday of that month, trusting his memory to be correct on the date. Maybe he could even buy out the entire food court at the mall for an hour or two just to escape the flash of the paparazzi's cameras, if only for a short while. (That was his _least_  favorite part about being Domino's Golden Boy. Second only to his fan club.)

PeachSunrise: i also started the one where Atem is a high school delinquent  
Kuribonbon: what  
KingofGames: In what universe would that ever occur?  
HarpyQueen: an alternate one  
PeachSunrise: well, they got the part about you burning that guy alive right  
Kuribonbon: we dont talk abt that tho  
BlueEyesCEO: What.  
KingofGames: It was before you came along.  
PeachSunrise: man, those were the days...

 _That_  was news to him. If what Atem said was true, then it must have happened while he was still the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, a no-name entity who would challenge anyone to one of his twisted 'games', and then employ the Penalty Game if you were stupid enough to cheat. He'd been a target of one of _those_ once upon a time, and had no desire to repeat the experience. He'd fallen into a coma right after, but looking back on it now, he couldn't say it had been entirely undeserved. Besides, Atem had recovered his long lost name, along with the memories of his past life, and he was a much better person for it.

DiceBoi: quick question  
BikeBoi: ??  
DiceBoi: honda, what type of bike do you drive?  
BikeBoi: honda  
Kuribonbon: thats ur name smartass  
BlackDragBoi: no thats the brand name  
HarpyQueen: you're kidding  
BikeBoi: yeah, yeah, i drive a honda  
xGraveKeeperx: i couldn't write a joke like this if i tried XD  
PeachSunrise: that's so typical smh  
BikeBoi: you guys leave my bike outta this  
DiceBoi: it's a nice bike tbh  
BikeBoi: at least someone sees the light

It seemed Honda had two great loves: his hair, and his bike. Typical interests indeed for a former bully. Kaiba idly wondered if this part would make it into the next chapter of Ishtar's fic.

SpookyBoi: I've never been much for machines, sorry.  
Kuribonbon: i think honda will forgive u bc ur cute  
BlueEyesCEO: Seriously.  
Kuribonbon: i'm taken not blind

Fine, he would give the pipsqueak that much. Pretty face or no, Bakura's taste in men was still _severely_  lacking.

SpookyBoi: You flatter me too much. ♡  
BlackDragBoi: yug is right tho  
Kuribonbon: as usual  
BlueEyesCEO: Don't get a swelled head.  
BlackDragBoi: ye thats ur job

Kaiba wasn't even mad because it was true. He was pretty much known for his ego; you could almost set your watch by it. He refused to be ashamed of it, either.

KingofGames: What else shall we do during spring break when Anzu comes to visit?  
PeachSunrise: ooh!! can we go to the beach??  
HarpyQueen: i'm okay with that  
Kuribonbon: pretty girls in swim suits?? sun? sand? tropical drinks?  
Kuribonbon: count me tf in  
DiceBoi: omg yes....

Atem's question was a welcome distraction, although he hadn't been too enthusiastic about mentions of going to the _beach_. Kaiba still refused to let the general public know the extent of Gozaburo's abuse, preferring to let everyone think he was an asshole just because he felt entitled to be. The only ones he'd allowed to know the truth were Mokuba, and now Yugi and Atem. Until he felt comfortable with just anyone knowing ( _never_  gonna happen), that was how it would stay.

BlueEyesCEO: I don't do beaches.  
BikeBoi: ur loss  
Kuribonbon: not even for business?  
BlueEyesCEO: No.  
xGraveKeeperx: aw, spoil sport D;  
BlackDragBoi: it won't be an obligatory beach day episode w/o the whole squad there  
SpookyBoi: You just want to splash him.  
BlackDragBoi: can neither confirm nor deny

Though Bakura's question had been ignored, he was still quick to call his boyfriend out on his true intentions. Perhaps they really _were_  made for each other, the gross saps.

KingofGames: We can all bring our decks and have duels by the water's edge.  
Kuribonbon: #romantic af  
BlueEyesCEO: I'll think about it.  
PeachSunrise: good enough

If that was Atem's idea of a romantic date, then by all means, Kaiba would make it happen. He needed an excuse to test out his new duel disk model anyway. (At least that's what he _told_  himself his primary motivation was.) After that, Mazaki bid the rest of the dweeb posse good night and logged out for the day. With the exception of Ishtar, she was the only one who didn't operate on Japan's time zone.

Since nothing further stemmed from the chat, and the noodles didn't feel like bothering him over text, he closed both the app and the fic tab and got back to work. Mokuba arrived some minutes later, and with his little brother safe on one of the couches, homework spread out in front of him, he made short work of the code he'd been fixing earlier, sending it off to the appropriate department head before focusing on his next task.

  
\---

  
Around sunset, he sent Mokuba back to the manor with Isono; they at least would not miss out on dinner.

"You'd better come home soon, Nii-sama," the young Kaiba warned, adjusting the backpack straps around his shoulders, "or I'll send Yugi after you."

The threat fell on deaf ears; waving his little brother off, the elder Kaiba returned back to his computer screen, typing away.

(The beast flew out over its domain as soon as dawn broke over its lair, the sunlight streaming down in brilliant bands of gold, tinting the water's surface with dappled green light. Its Treasure would be safe now that the Dark Woman was no longer a threat. Only _she_  would be foolish enough to steal from a dragon of considerable power. It surveyed the land below, imagining it must look like a shooting star darting across the morning sky, light sparkling off its scintillating silver hide, throwing prismatic colors in all directions with every flap of its majestic wings. The winds remained calm, and it soon found a thermal updraft to ride. It searched for nothing in particular; the King of the Skies simply observed the goings on in its territory with little interest.)

  
\---

  
Ten minutes to eleven, Kaiba saved the last of his work and scooted the large swivel chair away from his desk, stretching stiff arms above his head and taking a moment to breathe. He was running on fumes now, and though he longed to continue well into the morning, he'd given his word to return before the day was up.

A quick call to his bodyguard later, and he was sitting in the back of the black sedan, scrolling through the news on his phone. Concerning his personal matters, things still weren't pretty, but he'd done his best to reduce the presence of the paparazzi, both in front of his manor house, and in front of Kame Game Shop. It was the least he could do. Without Atem or his grandson for a buffer, Sugoroku Mutou wouldn't be able to deal with the parasites swarming his shop. He'd been an old man five years ago, and he was an old man still.

Seto Kaiba still _had_  a heart. It was damaged and frayed at the edges, but it was there, protected by numerous layers of iron, shielded by indifference, and cocooned in scars. He was not a poet, but if he had to pick two people in his life to open up to, to let them see the darker parts of him and still want to stick around, it would have to be Yugi and Atem. They _knew_  the worst parts of him, and still, they kept coming back into his life. If he believed in fate, that's the _first_  thing he would blame.

Almost as if on cue, his phone began to play the ending theme song from Yuri!!! On Ice, a sentiment he thought Yugi might appreciate. (It was one of the only anime in a long time to not bore him to tears or make him cringe into his beloved coffee mug. Also, the animation was stellar, though it could use better rotoscoping in future seasons.) He picked up on the second bar.

"Hi, babe." Yugi sounded as cheerful as ever, which was good. "I should hope you're on your way home now."

That had an unmistakable edge to it, which he could not ignore.

"I'm on my way back now, pipsqueak." He nodded to Isono, who saw the motion through the rear view mirror. The soundproof divider slid smoothly upward not seconds later. "Miss me already?" he asked, once he was sure they were finally alone.

"Nah, that's Atem." An indignant huff crackled through the speakers. Either Yugi put the call on speaker, or the pharaoh was probably right on top of him. (Now _that_  was something he could enjoy coming home to.)

"I'm sure. Did Mokuba put you up to this?"

"He might have mentioned it, yeah." Wonderful. Pinching the bridge of his nose between forefinger and thumb, he let a soft sigh escape. Not one of irritation, but exhaustion. "You okay, dragon?" Yugi asked, concern entering his voice.

"Fine, just tired."

"Well, if you get home soon, I'll scrounge up something from the kitchen and then we can cuddle before bed."

"I _don't_  cuddle." He was going to put his foot down about _that_.

"Keep telling yourself that, babe." Yugi sounded so fucking _pleased_  with himself, the little shit. He heard the rich sound of Atem's laughter and resolved to at _least_  kiss both senseless into the mattress. Maybe then he could get some sleep.

"I'll be there in ten minutes, you insufferable child." His tone held no bite to it, and even if he had not been tired, it was likely to remain absent anyway.

" 'Kay, see you soon, dick. Say bye, 'Tem." The phone shifted slightly, and Atem's voice came through clearly on the other end.

"Safe journey, blue eyes."

The man sounded tired himself. Perhaps Yugi would be the only obstacle on his way to a restful night's sleep.

"Get a handle on your tiny partner, would you?"

Atem chuckled. "I'll see what I can do. _Ouhibouka_ , Seto."

Kaiba blinked. Perhaps it was his connection to his previous life that allowed him to understand the pharaoh's native tongue (ancient hieroglyphs as well), or maybe it was his own extensive knowledge on foreign languages that Gozaburo had beaten (quite _literally_ ) into him that let him understand the simple phrase. Either way, he was touched, and that was not something that ever came _easy_  to this Kaiba Seto.

" _Wa'ana lak_ ," he replied, swallowing thickly.

Quickly hanging up the call to calm the sudden racing of his heart, the CEO spent the next eight minutes in silence, staring out of the tinted windows without really seeing the scenery that flew by. Stuffing his phone in his pocket, he crossed his arms and legs, bowing his head until his chin rested comfortably against his tie.

There were a lot of things he _could_  have said, but those few words were all that he could manage. It was still so incredibly _hard_  to believe that someone other than his little brother could harbor any kind of affection for him, let alone _love_  him. Kaiba struggled with baser emotions, preferring to toss anything in the Box that could be ignored or dealt with later.

If this week had told him anything, it was that he was capable of caring for someone other than Mokuba, and in turn, they could care for him just as much. It would not be easy, being attached to _both_  King of Games, but it was a challenge he thought worthy of undertaking.

When the car pulled into the circular driveway and the soundproof divider buzzed down, Kaiba thanked his bodyguard and dismissed him for the night. Nodding to night security on his way in, he strode quickly inside and across the polished marble floors, nodding to the night maid as she passed. He took the stairs two at a time in his haste, eager to deliver his decision to the two duelists who awaited him.

He did not have to look far. It seemed they hadn't moved much since he left them behind only this morning. Both lay in the middle of his bed, the lights off to let in the moonlight that spilled beneath the curtains, casting them half in shadow and half in watery grey light. Yugi was propped up on the pillows, a handheld game device in his hands, the light from the screen casting a multitude of colors over his face, painting strange colors on the skin where there should only be pale cream.

Atem lay dozing, his face in the crook of his partner's neck, hair unbound and flowing in silken sheets across the fluffy down pillow behind him, arms wrapped loosely around Yugi's thin waist. The pipsqueak was so absorbed in his game that he did not hear the door close behind the CEO with a soft click, nor the sounds of him disrobing, toeing off his shoes in the walk in closet, and tossing everything else in the hamper in the corner to be dealt with in the morning.

"Welcome home, blue eyes," the pharaoh murmured, raising his head and sending a drowsy smile his way.

Yugi started, blinking owlishly from over his game. A grin spread across his face as Kaiba shunted them both to the other side of the bed. With an indignant huff, they complied, setting the game device on the bedside table.

"Hey, dragon! Hard day?"

Kaiba grunted an affirmative, gathering the pipsqueak in his arms and draping him over his chest. Yugi went without a fuss, smiling from ear to ear as the brunet littered several brief kisses to his cheeks and temples.

"I've made my decision." It was best to get right to the point. The sooner they had this discussion, the sooner he could get some sleep.

"We are all ears," Atem replied, propping his head up in one hand and laying on his side, facing his boyfriends, laying a warm hand across Yugi's backside and softly stroking the smooth skin. Yugi nodded eagerly, violet eyes shining.

"I've decided to keep you." Yugi gave a cheerful cry before Kaiba clapped a hand over his mouth. "I'm _not_  finished, pipsqueak." He responded by pressing his lips to the palm of the hand. A muscle under the brunet's eye twitched. "It _won't_  be easy," he began, slowly removing the hand when he was sure Yugi would not interrupt. "We'll probably be at each other's throats half the time, and the other half, I'll want to fuck you into this mattress." Atem snorted, but he ignored it, wanting to get everything out now. "But still, I don't regret entering into this agreement. Despite the drama, despite your friend squad getting on my nerves, and despite all the shit you're going to deal with just by being in a relationship with me, that doesn't change how I feel about either of you."

Kaiba sighed, briefly pressing his forehead to Yugi's, eyes flickering over to lock with Atem's.

"I feel the same, blue eyes," Atem murmured, snuggling against his side and pressing a brief kiss to his bruise-ridden collarbone. (He'd skin Yugi for that one later.) "As to your concerns about being at each other's throats, I believe we can work out whatever arguments we get into like the adults we are. Communication is key with _any_  relationship, and if we must work hard every day for the rest of our lives to achieve bliss, then so be it. I, for one, am quite ready to see where this will take us."

Kaiba accepted the answer with a nod, turning almost expectantly back to Yugi, who had yet to say anything.

"Hm, well.. you guys kinda said it all." He shrugged, tracing over the tiny crescent bite marks he'd left on the smooth collarbone in front of him the night before. It didn't smart so much as the area was a bit tender, but he ignored the momentary ache, giving the noodle his full attention. "Atem will always know how I feel about him. You'll probably get sick of hearing I love you every day, but if I _don't_  tell you, you might forget, or just not believe me at all. But I really _do_. You literally saved my life, and I'll never forget that."

This too, Kaiba accepted with a nod. Decision made, he tightened his hold on the man in his arms, giving a quick squeeze and trying to convey all the emotions behind the gesture without having to utter a single word.

"Now that this has been settled.. Yugi, didn't you have something you wished to share with us?"

Atem's question brought a raised brow from the CEO, but Yugi's eyes brightened in understanding.

"Yeah! We can finish it off in celebration now." Wriggling out of Kaiba's embrace, he hopped down from the king sized bed and was out the bedroom door in a flash, clad only in his beige khakis.

Turning the raised eyebrow on the pharaoh, he received only a slight shrug in response, so he quickly gave up on interrogating the man. Instead, he sat up, leaning back against the nest of pillows and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Here, let me help."

He did not object, leaning forward so the pair of warm dark hands could rub the knot of tension at the base of his skull. Atem's skillful touch soon had him humming in satisfaction, letting the day's stress melt away bit by bit.

Yugi returned some moments later, a plate and fork in hand. Setting the plate in Kaiba's lap, he looked down to find the remaining Blue Eyes pound cake roaring majestically heavenward, the noodle climbing back into bed to snuggle up against his side, having shed his khakis to get more comfortable.

"Here, we can all share one fork to save on dishes." Taking said fork in hand, he sliced off a bit of wing, offering it to Atem, who gladly accepted, ceasing his massage and curling against the brunet's side with his mouthful of cake.

"Why?" Kaiba asked, averting his eyes as Yugi sliced into what was left of the beautiful dragon's face and holding it out as an offering.

Yugi shrugged. "I've literally had your dick down my throat, I don't care about germs."

Atem choked on his piece of cake. Kaiba managed to remain composed as he chewed and swallowed the bit offered to him, patting the lion on the back.

"You live with him, aren't you used to this?" he asked, making sure the pharaoh would recover from his fit intact.

"That is.. _not_  something anyone really gets used to." His voice was thick, having to chew and swallow what he'd nearly choked on before finally regaining his lost composure.

"Sorry, doll." Yugi frowned, eyes shining with genuine concern. Once he was certain his other was not angry, he leaned across Kaiba's lap to press a sweet kiss to his jaw.

If this was the sort of garbage Seto Kaiba had to endure for the rest of his life, then so be it. At least things would never be dull with those two around.

They made quick work of the pound cake, and when the last bit of tail disappeared, Kaiba gave the plate and fork back to Yugi, who took off back to the kitchen to sneak it into the sink. When he returned, quickly brushing his teeth in the bathroom with a small green toothbrush he dug from the backpack by the foot of the bed, he shed his underwear, climbing naked under the sheets to settle on Kaiba's left, wrapping his arms around the bruised and scarred neck, littering the flesh with swift butterfly kisses.

"What are you doing," Kaiba muttered, sliding an arm around his waist and giving the hip a thorough squeeze.

"Saying goodnight to my boyfriend," Yugi replied, shooting that familiar cheeky grin his way. Rolling his eyes, the CEO claimed the tiny mouth with his own, languidly exploring with his tongue once he was granted entrance.

 _That's right_ , he thought, a warm glow settling in his stomach at the word. Yugi Mutou was his _boyfriend_. So was Atem. Switching his attention from one noodle to the other, carding his fingers through the long, silky locks, Seto Kaiba finally found another he felt he could share his battered heart with. Not just one man, but two.

(The beast, having transformed itself into a man, strode into the Eastern Palace wearing only a pair of leather breeches, his hand clasped gently around his Treasure's, who gazed around in awe. Everything, from the light fixtures with its burning white flame torches, down to the marble beneath their feet, glittered in a sheen of gold limned in silver. The rug beneath their feet was the color of the sky at sunset, red melting into violet and tinged with pink and orange colored thread around its borders. All of this the man ignored, striding down the brightly lit corridor on his way to the throne room where the Sun King sat, gilded breastplate gleaming in the light of the setting sun. He stood stock still, slitted cat eyes taking his lover in as he stood from his throne, descending the dais where his Priests stood watch. He knew they were the Guardians of the Sacred Items, which was one reason he and his Treasure had come.

Pulling the boy against his side, he held out the object the boy had finally completed, the puzzle that had so fascinated the bright youth, sat whole and complete in the palm of his hand. Wine red eyes wide with some unnamed emotion, the Sun King carefully took the offered golden pyramid and laid the cord around his neck. A flash of golden light suffused the man, emanating from the cold eye that adorned the front of the pyramid, carved in bas relief. The dragon who was now a man shielded his eyes, his Treasure clinging tightly to his waist.

The light subsided as the sun crested the horizon, taking with it the glow from the pyramid. The Priests and everyone present, save the man with deep blue eyes and pointed ears, gasped at their King, who stood in front of them, his crown sweeping out from his brow on gilded wings, His normally auburn hair now shot through with gold at the fringe, smiled radiantly at his lover and the boy he called his own.

"From this day forth," he intoned, and his rich voice carried throughout the hall with practiced ease, "the dragon who is now a man, who shares his name with no one but myself, shall be my King, and his companion shall be as a Prince of the Sun, as has not happened in several millennia."

The announcement was met with great cheer. Despite his race, the dragons of old had all but been wiped out, causing him to seek out new lands for his own. The dragon who was now a man stepped forward into the Sun King's embrace, relishing in the steady warmth the man exuded. Placing his hands on either side of his lover's face, the Sun King placed a chaste kiss upon his brow. The final flickering light of the sun gradually disappeared, but a new light blossomed in the dragon man's frame. No longer were the locks at his temples shot through with silver, but with bright, gleaming gold. His eyes remained a deep, navy blue, the pupils slitted like a cat's, but his countenance shifted from perpetually cold and stoic to something akin to contentment.

Offering his hand, the Sun King gestured to the boy, who shyly stepped forward. The light around his dragon companion faded, leaving him standing unharmed and unblemished, albeit with a new determination glittering in the depths of his eyes. He nodded to his Treasure, who took the offered hand with reverence. The boy's eyes widened, a light blooming from the crown of his head. His unnatural plum locks, which some of the village children condemned him for, danced and swayed in the sudden cool breeze. Molten gold flowed from his scalp, decorating his fringe with flaxen lightning in the likeness of the King himself.

When the light faded for the final time, the boy smiled, squeezing the King's hand. Taking the dragon's hand in his own with the other, the three stood amid deafening cheers, having eyes for no one but each other. Later, in the dead of night, when all three were curled together in the King's bed, they whispered their true names to the skies, alone in mutual bliss.

Atem, the rightful King of the Sun Kingdom.

Set, his dragon born lover.

Heba, their amethyst-eyed boy whose bright disposition would lend a new kind of light to the kingdom for many years to come.

Each drifted off to sleep to wake the next morning, ready to assume their new positions and lead their people to an eternity of prosperity which would come to be known as The Age of the Dragon.)

Finally exhausted to the point of struggling to keep his eyes open, Seto eventually let himself drift off, entirely too warm, curling protectively around Yugi with Atem's arms wrapped securely around his waist from behind, and _not_  cuddling his boyfriends.

Seto Kaiba did not _cuddle_. At least, that's what he told himself.

Maybe, just this _once_ , he could admit, if only to himself in the dead of night, that cuddling wasn't such a waste of time after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouhibouka = I love you. (male, singular)  
> Wa'ana lak = And I, you.  
> Star Chips = Domino's version of Starbucks.
> 
> What a ride, eh? Worry not, my friends. We still have the epilogue chapter to go: the obligatory beach day episode of this anime. What a monster that will be.. Give me a few weeks, and I'll have it out for you guys.
> 
> (That last dragon metaphor grabbed my hand and demanded I put it in. Who was I deny my muse? It took me a half hour to write, and I did not stop until it was done and perfect. You're welcome.)
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this. <3


	10. Epilogue: Yu-Jo Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light shatters the darkness.
> 
> Darkness consumes the light.
> 
> You cannot have one without the other.
> 
> A balance has been found. 
> 
> Blessed are the ones who keep watch over the golden shadows, for they are the ones to look to in dire times.
> 
> A bright light sparks and flares.
> 
> All will be well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [/incoherent screaming]
> 
> Hi guys!! Sorry for the long delay, I was finally, blessedly able to finish the fic!! We poppin' the biggest bottles tonight.
> 
> This fic was a journey, and one I was glad to undertake. I made new friends, established myself as a fanfic author For Real, and was able to stabilize my mental health. 
> 
> A huge thank you to everyone who commented and left kudos, you guys are the reason this fic exists. <3
> 
> Duel Squad will continue into the foreseeable future, and I can't wait to find more inspiration for it.
> 
> Without further ado, thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy the final installment of AWIAIN! <3

"I can't believe you brought a fucking _wetsuit_ to wear to the beach," Yugi muttered, sending yet another eyebrow up to flirt with his ridiculous hairline and locking eyes with his moody boyfriend.

"Says the guy wearing swim trunks with _puffballs_ on them," Seto retorted, arms and legs crossed tightly, sitting a respectable foot's distance away.

Mokuba rolled his eyes and said nothing. He and Atem sat across from them in the limo, the latter shaking his head in amusement at his lover's antics. They were currently on their way to the food court to meet up with the geek squad for their planned get together. Even a month later, it was still a surreal experience to be romantically involved with not one, but two people. Still unaware of the fact that Seto Kaiba was dating the King of Games, he was sure that, as accepting as they had been of his presence (maybe _tolerate_ was a better term), a few heated words were bound to be exchanged. 

Which explained his current pissy attitude, but did not excuse it. Insulting Yugi's fashion choices was a deflection tactic to hide his discomfort, a fact the pipsqueak was well aware of. 

"It'll be _fine_ , dragon," Yugi reminded him for the tenth time that morning. "Yeah, they'll probably flip a little, but can you really blame them?"

"Yes, I can."

Yugi huffed, throwing his hands in the air in defeat. "You're being ridiculous, it's just our _friends_."

"They're _your_ friends, not mine." He was still putting his foot down about that, and not a single person in this limo was going to dispute it.

"Peace, blue eyes." Atem, calm and serene as ever, not a hair in his side braid out of place, smiled softly, trying to diffuse the situation. He was the medium between his own rushing tide and Yugi's whirlwind - the calm, flickering fire that reminded him of solitary nights spent alone by the fireplace, with nothing but a cup of tea (or alcohol) for company.

Seto Kaiba was married to his work. He was privy to all the jokes and jibes, and though they did not even crack his fortified steel armor, they still bounced right off, leaving a distracting buzz in their wake. Only twenty years old, and already people expected him to settle down and 'carry on the Kaiba name'. Usually, that kind of remark allowed a spark of anger to flare and simmer. Telling everyone to fuck off was tempting - sometimes he _did_ , depending on who it was - but he had better things to worry about than people's opinions of him. (At least, that's what he'd told himself for years.)

Now, he no longer felt so alone. Mokuba helped stem the tide of his anxiety, yes, but he was still young and could not always be counted upon to shoulder the same burdens his big brother had borne for half his life.

Besides, those days - too much coffee, too little sleep, too many nightmares - were _over_.

The mall came into view, reaching with steel and glass tipped edges towards the heavens. Even through the darkly tinted windows, the modern edifice was clearly visible. Isono pulled smoothly into a parking spot next to a familiar purple convertible near the front.

"Looks like Mai is already here," Mokuba remarked, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Jou and Ryou, too." Yugi jerked a thumb to the car on their other side, a little white Toyota in dire need of a wash. 

"Wonderful," Seto muttered, getting out behind Yugi and shutting the door after them. "Let's get this over with." Taking the lead, his long strides soon left the others in the dust. He wasn't eager by any means, but nor was he here entirely against his will. A promise was a promise - he would _try_ and make an effort with the dork posse. (Even if it killed him.)

Yugi and Mokuba trailed along behind, chatting amiably. Atem hurriedly fell into step beside his boyfriend, and with Isono bringing up the rear, they entered the mall and made directly for the food court. 

Mid-March dictated short sleeves and light jackets, but Seto Kaiba would not be caught dead outside of his own house in _anything_ less than business casual. Slinging a light blazer over his shoulder, he entered the food court. It was practically deserted. _Perfect._ Save for the few employees and a scattered number of plain clothes members of his security team posted at strategic intervals around the area, there was no one there to interfere with their little gathering. It might not remain that way, but for now, the CEO was satisfied.

"Hey, guys!" A familiar feminine voice called out to them. 

A tall brunette stood from her chair to wave them over, smiling fit to burst.

"Anzu!" Yugi cried, dashing past all of them to greet his friend.

Atem's eyes lit up at the sight of his friends, most of whom he had not seen in quite some time. Once they all made their way to their reserved table, hugs were exchanged (awkward handshakes on his part), and places were determined by couples. The Ishtars had yet to arrive, but the appropriate number of chairs had been set out to accommodate everyone.

Seto ended up sitting between Atem and Yugi, with Mokuba to Atem's left. Mazaki, her hair longer than he remembered and tied back in a neat ponytail, sat to his brother's left. He was fine with that; they had sort of bonded during their time in captivity during Battle City at the hands of Marik's Ghouls. He later learned that she had stayed behind so Mokuba could escape, and perhaps that was the primary motivation for his saving her from being crushed. (That, and he'd be damned if anyone actually _died_ during his tournament. The amount of paperwork alone would hardly be worth the hassle.)

Bakura ended up at Yugi's right, with Jounouchi next to him. They exchanged stiff nods of acknowledgement while their waiter came to take everyone's drink order. (Shizuka had been unable to come due to her class schedule.) Mai sat next to her girlfriend, and looked only too happy to be there. (She'd grabbed Yugi the second she saw him and practically squeezed the life out of him. As amusing as the blush decorating his cheeks was, he rather liked his boyfriend _alive_ , and not squished to death by her well endowed figure.)

Honda sat - out of uniform and glancing his way with an air of suspicion every few minutes - next to Jounouchi, who was currently trying to explain the newest meme to Mokuba, who rolled his eyes and tossed his brother the 'Can you _believe_ this?' look. He grimaced, sympathizing with the boy's plight. (This is why he didn't let his little brother hang out with the geeks too often.)

Otogi - his hair in its usual careful disarray and grinning for no apparent reason other than he was glad to be among friends - sat to Honda's right and engaged the CEO in polite conversation while they waited for their drinks to arrive.

The Ishtars arrived not long after, taking their places once greetings had been exchanged. (Marik was the victim of more than a few one-armed hugs, but he seemed delighted all the same.) As soon as Isis had made eye contact with the CEO, she nodded once. That was the news he wanted to hear.

Last month, he'd petitioned her and her family for permission to excavate the Ceremonial Duel chamber, where the last known location of the Millennium Items rested at the bottom of a deep pit. She'd been reluctant at first; since Atem's return, they'd all agreed that it was for the best that the Items remained where they were - out of reach of anyone who could use them for evil purposes. Once he'd given his reasons for unearthing the slumbering Items, she'd finally agreed. Since she carried no bag or case with her, he assumed she had it tucked away in a safe location for the time being. He'd have to pull her aside later and ask her in private.

Once everyone had their drinks and had placed an order for a light snack (they were headed off to the beach in his limo not long after, no sense in loading up on too much food), conversation began to ebb and flow as the minutes passed. 

Rishid, who sat in between Marik and Otogi, spoke little, but he seemed content with the present company.

"So, Yugi," Mazaki spoke up once the large order of _takoyaki_ had arrived and everyone had divvied up the dumplings as evenly as possible, "how's your head?"

The mood grew somewhat subdued, but Yugi's refused to take a nosedive.

"The stitches dissolved last week, and the headaches went with them," he replied, waving the hand that wasn't clutching a dumpling on a stick. 

"That is good to hear," Isis said, trying to navigate her way around the foreign food.

"I'll bet you have a wicked scar." Otogi gestured to his temple, right where the mark would be on Yugi.

"Not really," Yugi shrugged, sweeping the gilded lightning from his brow to reveal a one inch pink scar just below his hairline. "It felt worse than it looked."

A collective wince ran around the table. He and Atem exchanged a look that spoke volumes - _I love you, I'm here if you need me._

Seto was content to glare at his share of dumplings as though they had personally offended him until someone changed the topic.

"I hope whoever did that to you got what they deserved." Marik's tone wasn't particularly harsh, but his lips curled around the words with a certain menace to them that everyone at the table recognized.

"She did."

Having spoken up for the first time since he'd exchanged greetings, the young CEO found himself faced with twelve pairs of astonished eyes. Only three people at the table (possibly four if he counted Honda) knew the whole truth of the matter, but that was something he preferred to keep as quiet as possible.

"Indeed," Atem murmured after the moment had passed. "That brings another subject to mind, however." 

Seto winced. He knew what was coming, and he would _not_ be the one to break the news. The anxious flutter of his heart was the only betrayal to his true emotions. Having played over every possible scenario for the past two days, only a few of them had a positive outcome, at least in his favor. (He really didn't _care_ what they thought, they had no say in his love life. That didn't stop his brain from conjuring up the worst kinds of arguments anyway; if he was lucky, no one would make a scene and he could walk away from today with his head held high like always.)

Atem's eyes found his, a gentle countenance compared to the raging inferno going on inside his own mind. Feeling like a man about to sign his own death warrant, he gave a minute nod as permission to continue. He quickly grabbed his drink and took a sip, just so he wouldn't have to open his mouth.

"Oh, right! We have a sort of announcement to make." Yugi's declaration turned all eyes his way. Honda raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "First, I have a favor to ask." He turned to Bakura, who tilted his head in curiosity. "Would you mind covering Jounouchi's mouth for me, please?"

"All right." With a shrug, Bakura did as he was asked. Jounouchi barely protested, the snort muffled by his boyfriend's hand. It was a small blessing that he didn't have food in his mouth at the time.

Mokuba scrunched up his nose, probably sensing where the conversation was about to go, and hurriedly occupied himself with his phone.

"Thank you!" Yugi cleared his throat, reaching for Seto's hand beneath the table and giving it a comforting squeeze. (The Box of Emotions rattled feebly, but he was grateful for the small gesture.) "I'm just gonna come right out and say it, since no matter what, things are gonna get awkward."

At a look from Yugi, Atem placed a warm hand to Seto's shoulder, who stiffened slightly in response at the amount of eyes that turned his way, only to slowly relax, setting his drink on the table and staring straight ahead at nothing in particular.

(It wasn't like Set to clam up, but staring out into the sea of upturned faces, each waiting for him to speak, made his heart throb with anxiety. Had he been in dragon form, he had no doubt his scales would begin to itch. A gentle squeeze to each hand brought the man out of his thoughts. Turning from one to the other, the King of the Sun and his Treasure stood sentinel on either side. With identical smiles, they urged him to address the multitude of people below. Had it not been for their steady presence, he would have refused the position outright. As King Consort, he had every right to do so; as did Heba as their Crown Prince. With a deep breath, he took a step forward and opened his mouth, letting the words flow from his lips in a steady, continuous stream. Tumultuous applause met his pointed ears, and for the first time in his new role, he felt truly accepted among his people.)

"Kaiba, Atem, and I are dating each other."

At first, no one spoke. The silence in the air grew thick and viscous. Someone dropped one of their dumplings; he didn't look around to see who it was, but the soft plop broke the spell. Jounouchi was the first one to stir. As it turned out, Yugi had been right to have Bakura stop his boyfriend from speaking, but they could all hear the muffled exclamations anyway. A curse slipped through Bakura's fingers, but he just sighed and clamped the hand tighter around his boyfriend's mouth.

To his surprise, Marik started laughing. Isis shot her brother an annoyed glance, but he paid it no mind.

"Seriously?! Oh, _Ra_ , I should have seen it!"

Yugi rolled his eyes and waited for the fallout to die down.

"So you guys _weren't_ joking about the threesome thing after all." Otogi raised a brow, steepling his fingers and staring over them at Seto, who could only glare back.

Atem held up the hand that wasn't resting on the CEO's shoulder. "Actually, the term is polyamorous."

Mai looked confused, but Mazaki's eyes glinted in recognition. "So, wait," she began, raising her voice to be heard over Jounouchi, whose muffled words had not ceased since the declaration had been made, "Is this all consensual?"

"Well, yeah. We all got hit by the doki monster."

Yugi's response brought on a whole new silence, but this one was broken quickly, this time by Honda, who snorted so loud into his soda, droplets went flying. He quickly snagged a napkin to mop everything up while a new round of laughter rang out around the table. 

" _Seriously_ ," Seto muttered, turning to scowl at his boyfriend, who smugly sipped at his drink and gave his hand another squeeze. 

"What I think Yugi is trying to say," Atem began, his soft baritone carrying over the sound of Jounouchi finally extricating Bakura's hand from his mouth, "is that yes, we are all consenting to a relationship with one another. Happily so."

"And just _how_ long has this been goin' on?" Jounouchi grumbled, glaring from one King of Games to the other.

Before Seto could open his mouth to respond, Yugi took the opportunity to do so himself. "Over a month."

This time, it was Otogi who nearly spat soda all over the table. "A _month?!_ " he exclaimed, wiping his mouth with a napkin and trying to look sheepish in the light of Jounouchi's glare.

"Yep!"

"Congratulations," Rishid murmured, nodding to each of them in turn.

Accepting the thanks with a gracious nod, Atem finally removed the hand from Seto's shoulder after giving it a gentle squeeze, a serene smile calming the rapid beating of the dragon's heart. 

"So, does that mean you guys have.. you _know_.." Mai trailed off, gesturing to each of them in turn with a suggestive tilt to her lips.

Atem cleared his throat and took a sip of his iced tea, becoming _very_ interested in the drops of condensation that littered the glass. He might have been blushing, though with his darker skin, it wasn't as apparent.

"Well, that's our business," Yugi replied, fiddling with the skewers left behind from their snack.

"So, a yes then." Marik winced at the glacial look Isis sent his way, but otherwise remained unrepentant.

Yugi's cheeks flared a delightful shade of pink, and Bakura hurriedly changed the subject. The conversation took a less personal turn after that, and Mokuba finally emerged from scrolling the depths of social media to participate in the goings on.

Once everyone had their fill of dumplings (he could have _sworn_ Jounouchi and Bakura devoured twice as much as everyone else), and their drinks had dwindled down to the last half inch or so, it was finally time to discuss seating arrangements in the limo for their trip to the coast.

"Not to worry, Kaiba," Isis gestured to herself and her two brothers, "we have arranged for our own transportation."

He acknowledged the statement with a nod, subtracting three people from the tally.

"So, how many people can fit into your limo?" Mazaki asked, getting to her feet and waiting on Mai to do the same. (Everyone paid their fair share of the tab, with the agreement that Seto would take care of the tip. Fine by him, he was generous tipper.)

"Eight," came the CEO's stiff reply.

"There's ten of us, not counting the Ishtars, so some of us will have to sacrifice some lap space." Otogi pointedly glanced his way and grinned.

"Well, I know whose lap _I'm_ calling dibs on," Yugi chirped, a bony elbow gently nudging beneath his ribcage.

Mokuba groaned and quickly lead the way back to the parking lot. Seto had long since learned that no amount of glaring did any good to cow his boyfriend, so he let it slide for the moment.

"Rishid and I have some last minute business to attend to, so we will not be joining you." Isis calmly folded her hands beneath the long sleeves of her ivory gown as she stood.

"I can follow you guys on my motorcycle," Marik offered. The eldest Ishtars agreed to let their little brother have fun. 

While Mokuba and Yugi were busy organizing everyone into the limo, the CEO pulled Isis aside to have a quick conversation, friendly bickering fading into background noise behind them.

"Is it ready for transport?" he asked, keeping his voice low, eyeing Rishid from his peripheral. The tattooed man blinked back, but otherwise did not show any recognition about being watched.

"Yes. I would like to stop by tonight and deliver it myself, if you like," Isis replied, her calm blue gaze free of judgment.

"That's fine." 

After giving her the address and bidding her and Rishid farewell, Seto took a deep cleansing breath before stepping into the limo. (Everything is _fine_ , you've been anticipating and preparing this for weeks now. _Breathe_.) Everyone seemed to be riveted by a tale Atem was telling involving a customer at the Game Shop. Isono shut the door behind his employer and Yugi took the opportunity to plop himself in the CEO's lap. He paid the snickers and wolf whistles no mind, and neither did his boyfriend, who buckled them both in without batting an eyelash.

Seto took the time to observe the dweebs in their natural habitat while the limo pulled out of the mall parking lot and onto the main highway, stuffed to the brim with beach goers and their bags.

Jounouchi rolled his eyes, but wisely said nothing. Otogi just smiled his crooked, enigmatic smile. Anzu smiled in an encouraging fashion, eyes glued to Atem, while Mai adjusted her long blond waves over one shoulder. Honda huffed out a sigh and watched Marik rev up his bike on the other side of the tinted, bulletproof glass in an envious sort of way. Yugi had settled himself in Seto's lap and was now in a murmured conversation with Bakura, who sat across from him and leaned forward, elbows resting on thin, pale legs, a smile threatening the corners of his lips. Atem returned to his story after shooting him an approving glance, eyes alight with a joyous warmth rarely seen in other circumstances. Mokuba was busy recalling one of his schoolyard duels (as if Seto could be surprised anymore by his brother's antics) to anyone who would listen.

All in all, it wasn't a _terribly_ painful ride. Marik followed alongside on his bike through every turn, and no one instigated a fight, despite the cramped quarters. Soon enough, the roiling blue-green sea peeked out from behind a surge of trees, bathed in the mountain's shadow. Leagues of creamy sand stretched on for miles as the resort finally came into view.

Otogi whistled appreciatively as the rest of the gang took in the view from the window. Seto let out a soft huff at the murmured exclamations; exasperated but not quite annoyed. Yugi nudged him in the ribs, just slightly, enough to catch his attention. He flashed a quick grin, upside down and hair slipping from its casual ponytail to poke him in the chin. Then he was gone, unbuckled and climbing out of the limo, taking his thousand-watt excitement with him.

They'd parked in the shade of a tall tree, the reserved sign stark and blue against a sea of sand and scorching sun. Marik parked alongside on his motorcycle, cutting the ignition once he'd been given the go ahead from Isono and shoving his helmet in one of the saddlebags, shaking out more platinum blond hair than he knew what to do with.

"So, where's the first stop?" Otogi asked, rummaging in the popped trunk for his own bag, getting a playful elbow in the ribs from Mai, who bent to do the same to his right.

Seto shrugged, the handle on his briefcase a comfortable weight in his hand. "The resort building, obviously." He jerked his chin in the direction of the building, and without waiting for a reply, strode purposefully down the perfectly tended walkway and into the blessed air conditioned building.

By the time everyone had caught up, some grumbling quietly, some laughing lightly, Seto had already charmed the receptionist. (He handed her his completely unnecessary ID and membership card and stared her down until she realized just _exactly_ who she was talking to. The exchange took all of thirty seconds.) 

Each of them was given a locker key to deposit their bags in, and before long, the herd of nerds (he should really trademark that) had found a secluded spot along the beach to set up camp. In less than an hour, each had designated their own area to lounge in the sand; either with a colorful towel, or borrowing one of the nearby beach chairs. The sand soon bore the marks of over ten people enjoying the Spring weather.

Seto's least favorite and dreaded activity, applying sunblock, became an amusing event for all parties involved. He expected the ones who were dating to slather their partner in UV ray protective cream or spray, but mostly it just turned into who could coax Marik into the activity first. With the reluctance born of years of mental (and physical) abuse, the Egyptian finally relented, allowing Bakura to do the honors of gently rubbing sunscreen onto his heavily scarred back, fists clenched in his lap and putting on a brave face.

The CEO said nothing, but watched quietly as Yugi sat beside him, chattering about whatever he could think of to get Marik to laugh. It didn't take long before his soft cackling could be heard. Under his older brother's strict supervision, Mokuba allowed Anzu to mother him for about ten minutes, applying generous amounts of SPF-whatever to his back before he bounded off to the shoreline and jumped into the ocean with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. Isono, with a white patch of sunblock on his nose and cheeks, watched the boy like a hawk and pretended to read a magazine nearby.

Seto allowed Atem to massage the substance into his neck and the lower half of his legs (the only parts of skin left bare by the modified wetsuit he wore underneath his clothes), dropping a brief kiss to his cheek in silent thanks before settling down with his tablet to get some reading done. (Under _no_ circumstances was he to do anything involving work today.)

(Watching Heba frolic on the shores of the lake, his princely raiments discarded at the dragon's feet, was one of Set's few pleasures in his new life. Managing the kingdom in his lover's absence had been a chore, and upon the Sun King's return, declared they all needed a day off from courtly proceedings. Currently in his dragon form, Set lounged among the silky sand dunes not far from the water, wings draped on either side, with Atem situated comfortably against his warm belly. Light shone down from above, illuminating the glorious figure and throwing prismatic patterns from Set's scales onto the bleached white earth.

"Dragon! Watch this!" Heba cried, backing up a step before diving off a rock outcropping into the blue-green depths, leaving behind a considerable splash of murky white foam.

Set rumbled apprehensively, claws kneading the loose sand, his tail twitching back and forth. Atem chuckled, drawing patterns in the sand with one hand, the other rubbing the dragon's silver hide.

"He'll be all right," Atem murmured, just as Heba's spiked gold and plum locks breached the surface of the water, his grin matching the very light that glittered with every movement the Sun King made. "See? No harm will come to him on our watch, Set."

" _Children_ ," the dragon muttered, treating the word like a curse instead of the endearment it truly was. 

Atem's laughter rang out, proud and strong. Heba's silvery laughter followed not far behind as he splashed his way to their side, throwing himself bodily into the Sun King's lap, drenching them both with salt water, sand, and glimmering rays of the God in his mighty chariot, traveling the vast blue mantle at his own sedate pace.

The dragon sighed, slight trails of smoke billowing from each nostril and ruffling identical spiked locks. Neither seemed to care, as it only set them laughing once more. Set draped a leathery wing over his loved ones, shielding them from the harsh rays of the sun for a brief moment, dipping his snout to brush his jaw alongside Atem's cheek - his version of a nuzzle. The Sun King smiled, glorious and adoring, touching the scales above one deep blue eye, expression softening as Heba wrapped his tiny arms around Set's entire jaw.

The dragon wouldn't have it any other way.)

As much as Seto loathed to admit it, even to himself, dueling was worth the wait as he watched Yugi, bright and laughing, push Jounouchi into the ocean. Bakura shook his head, fond and exasperated, as he helped the blond from the water, only to be dragged in himself, all snow white hair and spitting salt water. 

At one point, Mazaki wandered over and plopped herself on Atem's unoccupied towel without so much as asking permission. Honda followed suit a moment later, and the CEO idly wondered if he was about to be subjected to the Geek Inquisition™. He marked his place in the novel he was currently reading - just in case.

"So," she began, stretching out her toned dancer's body - arms behind her head, one leg laying flat with the other bent at the knee - and piercing him with a fierce stare. "I didn't know you were polyamorous."

"Neither did I." Seto kept it short and to the point. No sense in beating around the bush, not when he was perfectly aware of Otogi and Mai holding a murmured conversation not six feet away. 

"You're involving them both _equally_ , right?" Honda did not look at him as he asked, preferring to watch Jou, Bakura, Atem, and Yugi playing some sort of silly dunking game out in the water.

"Obviously." He thought it rather prudent to keep his temper in check, especially if all they wanted was a brief grilling before they left him to his own devices.

"We just want them both to be happy," Mazaki's gaze never left his own, and he wasn't about to back down anyway. "You have to understand where we're coming from."

"You once tried to kill us, so we're a _tiny_ bit protective of the shortest and most trusting member of our group." Honda obviously meant Yugi, who had switched places with Jou and now sat perched on Bakura's pale shoulders while Jou struggled under Atem's weight, trying to keep them afloat. Judging by Yugi's sly expression and Atem's flustered one, there was some inter-competition flirting taking place. (If Bakura's red cheeks and Jou's exasperated eye rolling were anything to go by, he would say that Yugi had the upper hand in that department.)

"I didn't _force_ them into it if that's what you're getting at," Seto muttered, letting annoyance color his tone. It was a warning, albeit a subtle one: drop the accusations _or else_.

"Well, I'm sure you can understand _why_ that might cause us worry," Mazaki went on, finally breaking eye contact to yawn and flip over onto her stomach, showing off well-toned back muscles and the fine strings of her yellow bikini that Seto gave exactly zero shits about.

"Not that it's any of _your_ business," Seto narrowed icy sapphire eyes their way until he had their full attention, "but I would give my _life_ for those two idiots." Their wide eyes clearly spoke volumes, so the CEO continued in the same low, controlled tone of voice he used when an employee began to piss him off. "The past can stay where it was buried. As far as I'm concerned, if anything ever happened, to _either one_ of them..," he trailed off, unable to continue. He didn't need to, they got the point.

"That's all we wanted to hear, man." Honda and Mazaki exchanged brief knowing looks before the former continued. "We just wanna know that they're happy."

Seto watched as Atem finally pushed Yugi off Bakura's shoulders. He fell ass first into the ocean and came up spitting salt water, laughing and brushing the gold curls from his brow. Marik cackled softly in the background while Mokuba retreated to his blanket to take pictures and video to document the occasion on social media. (He made a note to check Twitter later.)

"I don't think we have to worry about that, Honda," Mazaki flipped over again and stood, stretching her arms above her head and shooting the CEO a friendly wink. "They seem to be in good hands to me."

Honda snorted softly but let the subject lie. After a moment, he went to help pull Atem and Jou from the water, only to get doused with a salty spray to the face. 

He did indeed understand where the nerds were coming from. He wished he could erase the past and start again with a blank slate. Barring that, he could at least make sure his lovers wanted for nothing; if there was one thing Seto Kaiba was good at concerning his relationships, is that he kept those he held dear in high regard, and close enough that they could flourish on their own without feeling suffocated by his presence.

\---

Lunchtime soon arrived, and everyone retreated to the resort building for the meal, enjoying a brief respite in the shade of an outdoor open bar. No one had alcohol (something to do with Jounouchi's aversion to the substance), but the conversation flowed easily like always. Seto remained in the farthest stool to the left, sipping on a virgin martini and participating little. He was content to remain on the fringes of the group, welcome to stay, but preferring to let others do the talking.

He found himself sitting next to Bakura, with Marik on the next stool and Atem to his right. Seto's gaze kept sliding back to their scars - gruesome in nature and all the more terrible the longer he stared. Bakura was the first to notice, and although the brunet schooled his features into one of casual indifference, he knew he'd been caught.

"You know, Kaiba," he began, voice a gentle, polite murmur that could barely be heard over the laughter from further down the bar counter. "If you wanted the story, all you had to do was ask."

Seto grimaced, having enough sense to look almost ashamed of himself. Marik cocked his head to the side in that curious way of his whenever he was trying to understand something just out of his grasp.

"How did you get.. _those_." He gestured helplessly to Bakura's stomach, where a set of jagged, nearly round scars dug into the sensitive pale flesh. Another colored both sides of his left hand, a lighter shade than the rest of his pale skin and about the same size.

Bakura shrugged, turning to stare at some point in front of him, subtly hiding the marks from view.

"The Spirit of the Ring." He paused, a thoughtful frown pulling at his lips. "Actually," he amended, running a thumb across the jagged edge of one scar, "the Ring itself made the marks, but the Spirit was the one who dug the barbs in himself."

Marik grimaced in a sympathetic sort of way, laying a gentle tanned hand on his shoulder. The contrast between them could not be more defined, but it made sense for them to be friends. At least in the way a pitbull could be friends with a lamb.

 _His_ story was all too well-known among the group. Marik's own father had carved the hieroglyphs into his son's back without remorse. Seto didn't care to know the details. All he cared about was whether it would ever happen again.

The apology stuck in his throat like a badly chewed bit of food. Swallowing past the sudden lump that had taken up sole residence there, Seto clenched his fingers around the stem of his glass, eyebrows furrowed. 

"My step-father was a bastard, so I can.. sympathize."

That was as close to 'I'm sorry' as he was likely to get, but Bakura nodded, seeming to understand anyway. 

Thankfully, they were saved from further embarrassing conversation by Mai, who draped her well-endowed form over an immediately flustered Marik and loudly reminded them that dueling was still a Thing that had been promised. (As far as he knew, she _wasn't_ drunk, but he wouldn't put it past her, either.)

Ten minutes later, his new duel disk model was strapped to his forearm, the lens sat comfortably against his temple, and his virtual deck had been properly shuffled and accounted for. He ignored Jounouchi's pathetic attempts to goad him into a duel, tossing his spare model to Atem instead.

Millennia old pharaoh or not, he was going to learn how to duel the modern way or not at all.

"I won't go easy on you just because we're dating," Seto calls to his lover across their designated dueling 'field', the ghost of a smirk twitching at his lips. 

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Atem calls back, finally managing to properly activate the new technology to cheers from the nerd herd, who took up residence on the sidelines to watch.

"Kick his ass, babe!" Yugi cups his hands around his mouth to shout, violet eyes alight with the thrill of a new challenge.

Seto has no idea which one of them he's talking to, but he has no intentions of losing either way.

\---

The duel ended in a tie, their first ever in living memory. It wasn't a loss, but it wasn't really a _win_ , either. Seto scoffed; he should have known better, really. Yugi kissed them each on the cheek and told them both how proud he was to be dating them. The geeks groaned or whistled. Seto rolled his eyes and told Atem to toss the pipsqueak his duel disk and lens.

"Ooh, rematch! I get Atem's sloppy seconds.~"

Yugi got into his other half's recently vacated dueling spot, blowing the lion in question a kiss before strapping the duel disk to his forearm.

"Don'cha always get 'Tem's sloppy seconds?"

Jounouchi is unmistakably flipped the bird, and that's how the second duel in an hour begins.

\---

Yugi somehow pulls a victory out of his cute ass, which leaves Seto sulking into his tablet half an hour later under the protective shadowy corona of a beach umbrella. (At least he floored Jounouchi, leaving the dog running back to his boyfriend with his tail tucked between his legs.)

Most of the dweebs have ended up in the water at this point. The only exceptions to this are Mai (sunbathing with a virgin _something_ clutched in her fingers), Bakura (currently sitting under another umbrella and braiding his own hair), and Marik, who seems to be doing some sulking of his own. He's sitting on his own towel, well away from the splashing and giggling, digging both sets of fingernails into the tan muscle of his arms and scowling into the sand beneath his feet.

Other than knowing the very basics about the man, Seto has no idea where to begin, or what to say to jolt him out of whatever train of thought is currently haunting him. From his peripheral, Yugi trudges up the sand, wiping the salt from his lips. The smile on his face freezes; he and Bakura exchange a knowing look, and both immediately make a beeline for the frowning Egyptian boy.

They sit a careful foot's distance away on either side of him and make no move to touch him, even though there are now multiple fingernail-shaped dents in his arms. Seto's frown deepens, and he moves just close enough to hear what is being said.

"Has the dysphoria kicked in?" Yugi asks, ever so gently, his violet eyes carefully appraising the state of his friend.

Marik merely shrugs, a quick jerk of his shoulder. His fingers lessen the pressure on his arms, but not by much. There is no blood, but that could quickly change.

"We're here for you," Bakura murmurs, almost too low for Seto to hear, even in his new eavesdropping position.

"Do you want a hug?" Yugi asks, just as Atem strides out of the waves embrace, redoing the braid in his hair into multiple braids before tying off the ends. Seto is, understandably, momentarily distracted by the way the water hugs each and every muscle of his short, toned frame before dripping off in tiny rivulets to paint the sand in darker shades of beige beneath his bare feet.

As a result, he misses Marik's reply, but from the way he's staring at Atem with apprehension written in every facet of his features, it's not hard to guess what was said. Yugi smiles, such a tender tilt of his lips that a momentary flare of jealousy (bright, sparkling waves of pure _envy_ ) clouds his vision. Before he can do more than glare icily in their general direction, Atem approaches the now hugging trio and, exchanging a few murmured words that not even the CEO can hear, carefully wraps his arms around Marik's neck, making sure his intentions are well known before executing the move.

Marik must have been blushing, but no one could really tell. His darker skin hid it well, but Seto had become adept at reading Atem since he and Yugi had started sleeping over every weekend. (Part of their new arrangement. They slept over at the mansion every weekend, and Seto had the house to himself during the workweek. He was now lonely more often than not, instead of just being alone. This often resulted in clinging to Yugi tightly in his sleep for three nights. _Anything_ to keep the warm glow in his chest from diminishing.) The skin around the arches of his cheeks would darken subtly, and he would break eye contact with whoever he happened to be speaking with at the time.

The same could be said for Marik now. Unsure of what to do with his hands, he let them fall limply to his sides, scraping the sand beneath his fingernails, muted lavender eyes looking at anywhere but the tanned expanse of pharaoh wrapped around his front, with a dash of tri-color hair on one side, and pristine white feathery locks on the other.

Pretty soon, the others on the beach realized what was going on, and also joined in on the hug. With a cry of "Dogpile on Marik!", Jounouchi barrelled his way into the hug, creating a mass of tangled limbs, pale and dark, now flopped entirely in the sand and laughing fit to burst. Seto rolls his eyes, only to make contact with an overjoyed (if still apprehensive) pair of lavender eyes half-buried under a tangle of limbs and swim suits.

He is not the Seto Kaiba who brings businessmen to their knees. He is not the Seto Kaiba the sheltered, abused boy genius. He is not the Seto Kaiba who works all day, barely sleeps at night, and wakes up each morning craving something he doesn't even know the name of.

Right now, he is just _Seto_. He has friends. (Sort of.) He has two men that love every single scarred inch of him and have no problem calling him out on his bullshit. (He lets them.) He is a wondrous construction of brain, sinew, muscle, and blood that thinks and feels, with dreams and aspirations, with night terrors and depressive episodes.

He is _human_ , a gloriously flawed man and all the more incredible for it.

He nods, just slightly, enough for Marik to see. He gets a nod in return.

It's good enough. For now.

\---

Barely half an hour later, Seto lets Yugi drag him into the water to swim for awhile. It's relaxing; the sky overhead is painted with wispy cotton clouds he could reach out and grab, the waves churn gently against his tall frame and knock him into his boyfriend more times than he can count, and right up until Jounouchi splashes him in the face with a spray of sea salt and foam, he feels at utter peace with the universe.

Then he swims over and dunks the offending blond head into the ocean until he is a screaming, cursing mess of a boy, and Seto feels little to no remorse for the slight payback.

All in all, it is a _fantastic_ day. He spends their last half hour soaking up the sunlight in a lawn chair and arguing business tactics with Otogi while Mai hums a J-pop tune to his right and braids Mazaki's hair. Jou and Atem are holding an animated conversation on the new duel monster cards that just went into circulation while Yugi and Bakura sit in their laps and listen to their partners talk, drowsy and content to indulge in the moment. Mokuba is curled against his brother's side, knee deep into his third Duel Links match. Isono wandered off to the bar, but is keeping a steadfast lookout. (He needn't have bothered, his employer bought out the whole place for the day. It was more the principle of the thing that mattered.)

Honda and Marik were building sand sculptures in the form of motorcycles down by the shoreline. Seto could hazard a guess as to what their conversation was about. 

By sunset, they pack up, grab their bags, return their keys to the girl still working at the front desk, and pile into the limo with little fuss. Once again, Yugi occupies the CEO's lap, curling into a ball and nuzzling into his shoulder. (He doesn't mind.) The brunet immediately slides one arm around him, trapping the tiny noodle in a steel muscle cage of safety. No one groans or whistles. It's just as commonplace now as Jounouchi playing with the snowy strands of Bakura's hair while the latter gazes sleepily through the tinted window as the scenery rolls by. Atem holds his other hand, idly stroking his thumb across the tops of his knuckles. (He lets him. It feels _good_ , and for once, he refuses to begrudge himself a bit of affection.)

Marik keeps apace with the limo the whole ride back to the mall, and even lingers to exchange goodbye hugs once they pull into separate parking spots. Mazaki is staying with Mai during Spring Break at their hotel room, so they are the first to depart for the glossy purple convertible, holding hands like the saps they are. Marik pulls out of the parking lot not long after, tires squealing to a tune only he knows.

The rest of the squad filters out, one after the other, exchanging drowsy farewells. Oddly enough, Seto ended up with a hug from Mazaki before she left, and a handshake each from Otogi and Honda. He didn't know what having friends truly felt like until he spent some time in their company for longer than ten minutes outside of a dueling arena. (He felt too light, almost _airy_ , with nothing to hold him down. It was strange, but not unpleasant.)

With Jounouchi and Bakura the last to leave for their dirty white Toyota, the former tossing a two fingered salute over his shoulder as they walked away (at first, he thought Jou was flipping him the bird and it wouldn't have surprised him in the least), Seto was finally left alone with the only members of the squad that mattered to him. 

(Under the sparkling twilight, the Sun King curled against his lover, eyes closed in peaceful slumber. The dragon who was now a man slid his arms around the Prince who was his Treasure, tucking him against his chest and whispering tales of gallant knights, pristine poetry, and damsels in distress in his ear. Heba gasped and giggled softly in all the right places, still a boy and not yet a man. 

They would return to the Eastern Palace once the God's Disk had settled below the earth's mantle and retire to bed after a brief warm meal to curl up in each other's arms, content and sated. Though he preferred his dragon form by day, at night, Set took his human form, if only to hold those dear to him while they dreamt; safe, secure, and loved with the glorious fire that burned so bright, only the gods themselves could bear to look upon them from afar.)

The ride back to the manor was quiet. Seto had his arms full of noodles and a grinning goblin nestled against his side. He allowed his head to rest against Atem's shoulder, and he received a warm hand carding through windswept brown locks in return. He spent the rest of the ride dozing off, decidedly _not_ cuddling those dear to him, but remaining alert of his surroundings nonetheless.

They pulled into the circular driveway without incident and trudged wearily up the stairs to wash the salt and sand from their bodies. Mokuba left his brother and his boyfriends alone, which was just as well. He had some new material to post on social media anyway. 

After their shower - where Yugi managed to coax both he and Atem into a sloppy makeout session under the heated spray, which ended up in a tangle of equally sloppy handjobs and lavender-scented body wash - they went down to dinner, warm and sated.

Since it was a Sunday evening, they retired to the sitting room for tea and _not_ cuddling on the sectional while Mokuba gave them all a play-by-play of the day's events via the several clips of video he shot over their outing. Yugi's silvery windchimes, Atem's warm rumble, and Mokuba's bright laughter filled the space within minutes as they recounted their day at the beach. Seto laughed, just once, a genuine bark of amusement leaving his lips. (They were currently watching Jounouchi getting dunked into the ocean by a certain CEO. Needless to say, that one was put on replay until Mokuba put his foot down.)

Seto checked the time on his phone at least once an hour, and the only one to notice said nothing of it, merely watched with curious wine red eyes and a tilt of his regal head.

It was nearing eleven when the doorbell finally rang. 

"About time," Seto muttered, too low for any of them to hear. He shooed Mokuba and his lovers off to bed while he attended to whatever late business caller - because there was no other reason for someone to be let on the property at this hour.

Isis Ishtar, garbed in her flowing ivory tunic and flanked by a silent Rishid, stood patiently on the front step.

"Good evening, Kaiba," she murmured in her soft, accented voice.

"Isis, Rishid," he said by way of greeting. "Do you have it?"

"We do." 

From behind his back, Rishid produced a briefcase. He flipped the catch on either side, opening the top just enough to reveal sparkling gold set in soft velvet lining. The briefcase closed, Isis gesturing for her brother to wait before offering it to the impatient CEO.

"Have they all been accounted for?" Seto asked, stuffing his hands in his sweatpants pockets and trying to appear patient when he was anything but. "Every last one?"

"They are all there," Isis assured him. "I only agreed to this because of what it would mean to the Pharaoh." She said the word with reverence, like Atem's title still meant something in the modern era. 

Seto once refused to think of Atem as anything but a boy King who died too young. Now he realized how foolish he really had been. Atem was his own person, and he was making something of himself in the here and now, not stuck in the Afterlife or rotting away in some glass case in a museum.

He was beautiful, he was _real_ , and it was high time someone showed the man just how much he was worth.

"I didn't ask for this for myself. It's for _them_."

Isis simply smiles, an enigmatic tilt of her lips before she lowers her hand. Rishid passes the briefcase into the brunet's keeping, and just like that, a priceless artifact exchanges hands with no one else the wiser.

"You are a changed man, Seto Kaiba," Rishid remarks, face an inscrutable line, sizing up the taller man before him with something akin to approval. "A changed man for the better."

Seto swallows thickly and says nothing, just nods in his direction, making brief eye contact before glancing away. There's no denying that he's touched, if just a little, by the Egyptian's words. But he is nothing if not a creature of habit, so he shoves the extraneous emotions in the Box and slams the lid closed, planning to deal with it later.

"What about the other ones?" Seto thinks to ask around the searing lump in his throat.

"They will fall into my family's keeping and will remain with us in Egypt." Isis takes a deep breath, letting it out silently before continuing. "They are far too much temptation for the average man, and must be kept hidden. For eternity if we can manage it."

Seto nods, already understanding, even if he doesn't strictly believe in the magic they possess. It is one thing to own something with the capability to bring the world to its knees, but quite another to resist the temptation of using it for yourself.

"Please give the Pharaoh and his partner our regards," Isis murmurs, bowing from the waist. Rishid mimics her action, and then they are both gone. They slide into the back of a dark sedan and pull out of the driveway. Seto bows once, formally, before striding inside, the doors shutting behind him with a muted click.

Now that business had been taken care of, it was time to put his hard earned project in a safe place where the noodles wouldn't find it. Mokuba, he wasn't too concerned with. Teenagers were easily bribed to keep secrets these days. The lab he kept in the basement would do nicely.

Stepping lightly across the polished marble floors, his bare feet making hardly a sound, Seto paused as a yawn rent the air, high and sweet as summer sunshine.

"Whatcha doin'?" Yugi asks, leaning his forearms against the landing balustrade, looking pleasantly drowsy and wearing one of Seto's shirts.

His _favorite_ shirt. The one with Blue Eyes poised for battle on the front, the decal slightly faded from use and made him look like he was swimming in a giant white tent.

It took Seto a moment to tear his gaze away from the delectable bit of collarbone just visible where the shirt sagged against his tiny frame to answer him.

"Putting this in a safe place." He thought the truth might be better than a lie. It would be easier to remember if it ever came up in conversation anyway. "I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Mmkay. Love you, dragon." Yugi waved him off, violet eyes half-lidded with sleep and a grin tugging at his lips.

Seto's shoulders tensed beneath the loose t-shirt he wore around the house before they relaxed as he absorbed the words he was never going to get used to hearing.

"You too, pipsqueak."

He disappeared beneath the arch below the stairs before either of them said anything more.

Less than ten minutes later, he was crawling into his king sized bed and wrapping his arms around Yugi's slumbering form. His fingertips ghosted down the length of sun-kissed skin on Yugi's other side, causing Atem to murmur drowsily into his partner's plum spikes.

" _Seto_ ," he breathed, voice a mere sigh in the intimate space, a sliver of red-violet all that can be seen of his eyes in the darkness.

"Atem. Good night."

The red-violet disappeared, a slow smile spreading across the lion's lips as he slowly drifted off, one arm cradling his pillow, the other draped casually over Yugi's waist.

In.

Out.

The sound of his lovers' gentle breathing lulled Seto into a restive slumber, curled protectively around Yugi, with Atem always in reach.

***

_Rain splattered the front of his pristine white trench coat as he stood by the curb, waiting. Eventually, his target arrived, looking bewildered but unharmed. He preferred his rival unharmed if at all possible. The boy bent to pick up his box made of glimmering gold and engraved with the dead language of ages past._

_When he straightened up, hair sagging just slightly under the drizzling onslaught, their eyes locked. Sapphire to amethyst._

_The wide eyes brightened in recognition, the tiny mouth opening in a smile._

_The image melted away. A deluge of water plummeted to earth as bright white light shone down on a lone man - no, he was more of a boy than anything - bathing him from head to toe and leaving no room for the shadows to encroach._

_He stood before the boy as half a dozen men in faintly illuminating blue suits descended on a wire from above, the whir of helicopter blades loud in their ears. The boy was quickly subdued, a mask placed over his golden eyes to block his strange ability over the aether._

_The boy smirked, a challenge in every tilt of his lips and lean of his body._

_Even with his hands secured firmly behind his back, he remained casually defiant._

_Well, that could easily be fixed._

***

It took a week of nearly sleepless nights to complete his current project. With the help of some new technology he'd developed last month specifically for this purpose, only one piece remained to be set in place, but that honor did not belong to him.

He didn't know why. He only knew that it had to be _them_.

Seto waited until Saturday evening, twilight settling behind his bedroom curtains and throwing the room into ever-increasing increments of darkness before he sprung his gift.

Atem wandered about the room, folding their clothes, and generally preparing for bed. Yugi was already snuggly nestled under the covers, scrolling through social media on his phone with a thoughtful expression, bottom lip caught between his teeth.

It was now, or never. 

Gathering all the courage he could muster, Seto closed the door and placed the briefcase - the same one handed to him by the Ishtars - on the bedspread at Yugi's feet. He barely gave it a glance, but that was expected of him when he was engaged in something else. He lost himself to whatever activity claimed his attention, and his boyfriends were hard pressed to get him to focus on anything else.

Atem was a different story. He smiled at his lover, hair tie clenched in his teeth as he struggled to get his ridiculous amount of coiled hair into a semblance of order. Tying most of it into a bun at the back of his head and leaving the rest to spill down his back in a curly maroon cascade, he approached the bed, gloriously shirtless, to kiss his tall lover on the cheek.

Seto had to restart his fluttering heart and crush his apprehension beneath a metaphorical heel.

"What's that?" Atem finally asks, gesturing to the briefcase. He never usually bothered himself with whatever his boyfriend was working on, but since it was laid out in plain sight, he was understandably curious.

"It's.. for you. A gift."

Yugi chose that moment to focus on the situation occurring at his bedside, snorting softly and leaning over to put his phone on charge on the nightstand.

"Well, aren't you just the sweetest! Is it porn?"

(Deep breath in, let it out slowly.)

Atem sighs and shakes his head. "I doubt that sort of thing comes in a metallic briefcase."

"You never know." Yugi shrugs, looking up expectantly at the CEO. "What do we do with it?"

Moment of truth. "Open it," Seto murmurs, toes curling into the plush carpet as though it would help ground him.

This more than anything catches their attention. An odd look passes between them before they approach the case - Yugi throwing back the covers and scooting forward, Atem coming to sit on the case's other side.

Seto stays planted where he is. Either he's about to make the worst mistake of his life, or he'll be stuck with both King of Games for the rest of his days.

In retrospect, their lives were intertwined thousands of years previously (not that he really believed any of it himself, but _they_ did), so the second option didn't sound _too_ terrible.

Once Atem got the hang of the catch, the metallic lid of the briefcase swung upwards with barely a sound. The Millennium Puzzle sat encased on a throne of black molded velvet, incomplete save for the final, central piece that sat nestled safely beside it. 

A bemused expression settled over Atem's features before it melted away as his brain registered that _yes_ , what he was seeing _was_ indeed real. His eyes widened, breath coming in shuddering gasps as the gilded treasure of his father stared blankly back.

"Até?" Yugi calls softly, unable to see what's inside the case from his angle. The only thing he seems to register is his Other's sudden distress.

Atem's knuckles tighten on either side of the case as his head falls forward, golden fringe obscuring his eyes from view.

"How did you..?" He can't seem to manage full sentences just yet, but Seto can be patient, just this once.

"Isis."

The one word seems to have a profound affect on his lover, who takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, turning the case around for Yugi to view its contents.

"The puzzle? The actual, _literal_ Millennium Puzzle that we lost three years ago when the Ceremonial Chamber collapsed?"

Atem just nods, turning the case to face the CEO, neither one daring to touch it. He stares at the thing for so long, silent as the grave, until something in Seto begins to itch and squirm with regret.

"I didn't.. _want_ to piss you off," he starts off, then shuts his mouth with an audible click as Atem stands, still staring at the Puzzle. The wine red eyes close and he takes a deep breath, the kohl he's yet to wash from around his eyes now glistening with unshed tears.

"This is..," Atem starts, pausing to swallow past the lump in his throat. His fingers brush the golden surface of the puzzle with a kind of adoring reverence. "This _was_ my prison for several thousand years. I had come to terms with never laying eyes on this object again." He finally looks up at the brunet, who is standing stock still, hardly daring to breathe. Yugi looks from one lover to the other, but says nothing. 

"If you don't want it, I can give it back.." Seto trails off, unable to continue. It would just be buried with the rest of the Items, lost to the sands of time and the Ishtar's will. 

" _No._ " It is unmistakably a command, spoken around a lump of emotion he has yet to work through. Seto waits, because of _course_ there will be more, he just has to be patient. 

Atem presses a fingertip to the cold eye of _wejdat_ before nodding to himself. When he finally turns to face the dragon, a single tear spills from the corner of one kohl-lined eye. 

" _Shokran lak, mery-i._ "

The combination of Arabic and what is clearly Ancient Egyptian causes the world to tilt from under the stoic CEO. He'd never been called _beloved_ by anyone before; that title had always been reserved for Yugi in their most intimate moments. Now, with the way it rolled off his lover's tongue as though it had always been meant for him, Seto himself felt like shedding tears.

He didn't. He _couldn't_. 

Instead, he let Atem cry into his shoulder and let out all the emotion he needed to, thoroughly soaking the front of his shirt. (He didn't care.) He held the lion tightly, as though he never wanted to let go. He smelled of juniper and sandalwood, and Seto inhaled the scent like he was dying and it was the only thing that could keep him afloat. Yugi sighed, hopping out of bed and coming to join them, the Millennium Puzzle in one hand, with the final piece in the other.

"You two are _so_ cute together," he quips, offering the final piece for Atem to take.

Seto snorts and rolls his eyes, letting go so the noodle can wipe the tears from blush-darkened cheeks.

When Atem finally composes himself, smudged kohl lining the edges of his eyes, he carefully takes the offered piece of the Puzzle and cradles it between his palms like a baby bird.

"Are you ready, _aibou_?" he asks, facing Yugi, who holds up the rest of the Puzzle in front of him.

"Yeah. Let's do it."

"If anything should happen, I love you both dearly."

Seto shifts his weight from foot to foot, eager and impatient all at once. Possibly even dreadfully curious as to what will happen.

" _Aishiteru_ ," Yugi declares, looking from one lover to the next. 

Seto just nods. If something _were_ to happen and he was unable to battle his own demons and say those three little words, he would never forgive himself.

With reverent grace, Atem slotted the final piece into the very center of the pyramid.

The very room seemed to hold its breath. No one moved or made a sound.

Then the Millennium Puzzle flared brightly, gold light spilling against the floor, the walls, and the bodies within the room. A gale of wind whipped around the two still touching the pyramid, wrapping them in a lotus-scented caress.

Before they could do more than cry out in surprise, the light vanished, a final flickering spark within the cold eye the last to fade away.

Yugi rubbed the spots from his eyes, Atem blinked rapidly to restore his vision, and Seto shook his head to clear it.

Everything seemed normal. No one had sprouted any strange appendages, or third eyes. No one had died.

"Well, _that_ was anticlimactic," Seto muttered under his breath, pausing at the looks that had crossed his lovers' faces. 

Both wore astonished expressions, never breaking eye contact. Then Yugi's lips spread in a wide, joyous grin, and he launched himself at Atem, who caught him around the waist.

"I can _hear_ you!" he cried, laughing through the tears now streaming down his cheeks.

Atem spun his partner around a few times, which was all fine and well, even though Seto nearly got slammed in the gut by the Puzzle dangling from a leather cord still clutched in Yugi's hand.

Seto folded his arms and stood back, letting them have their weird moment. 

(Unable to sleep, Set retreats to the balcony outside their shared chambers for a moment of quiet reflection. The Eastern Palace shimmers beneath his feet, limned in silver, and with every breath in he takes, finds himself more relaxed than he can remember being.

A patter of soft feet sounds behind him. Heba, amethyst eyes half-lidded with sleep, pads his way to Set's side. He cannot remember ever feeling so at home with the boy by his side, and he thanks whatever deity thought to bring them together.

"Set, are you okay?" Heba whispers into the night air, mindful of the slumbering king in the room behind them.

"Fine, little one. Go back to our king." Set gently nudges his treasure back the way he came, but Heba is nothing if persistent.

"I got so used to your warmth, I can't sleep without you there anymore."

Set blinks, dragon-slitted navy blue eyes softening at the slight youth before him, one of the very few times he allows himself to be vulnerable.

"I just need some fresh air. I'll be along soon. Go keep Atem warm for me."

Heba smiles, drowsy and beautiful, and nods his plum and gold head. Giving the dragon a quick hug - one of many more to come - he pads off on nearly silent feet, back to their bed and slumbering king.

Set doesn't care how he got this fortunate, but as he crawled back into bed a few minutes later, wrapping his arms securely around his treasure and brushing the gilded lightning from Atem's brow, he vowed to never forsake this gift he'd been given.

Surely the Gods would smile upon them and bless their union as true kings when the time came. 

Until then, the dragon who was now a man would protect his people and those he held dear with the blessed might of the Sun at his back, the wind beneath his wings, and the love he shared with the two most precious beings in this world.)

"Sorry, blue eyes," Atem chuckled, wiping more tears from his eyes and radiating a fierce joy.

Seto shrugged, suddenly feeling like a third wheel. He blinked down at a pair of violet eyes still shimmering with tears. 

"Thank you _so_ much, Seto!" 

Yugi let go of Atem to throw his arms around the brunet's waist, the Puzzle knocking against his thigh. Standing on tiptoe, their hips aligned, flush against each other. With an expectant pucker of his lips, he waited patiently until Seto got the hint. 

Leaning down, he grasped the noodle around the backs of his thighs with one arm, bringing him up to head height. It was much easier to claim his lips this way and Seto did so with a giddy kind of eagerness he didn't think himself capable of. 

Atem snaked his arm around the dragon's waist from the other side, giving his hip a tender squeeze. 

Once kissing had run its course, they explained what the Puzzle had granted them.

" _Telepathy_? Seriously?" Seto muttered, tone dripping with disbelief.

"Yup! Before, we could only exchange feelings, but no words." Yugi snuggled comfortably atop the dragon's torso beneath the covers, having finally retired to bed with the setting sun. A single light above the bed cast soft white light down upon the cuddling trio. 

"Now we can hear each other as though we once more shared a body," Atem explained, continuing his partner's narrative. He was curled up on his side, chin nestled in the curve of Seto's shoulder and his lion's mane draped across the pillow behind him.

Seto made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat. "How did that even happen?"

They both shrugged. 

"Only the Gods know," was Atem's cryptic response.

"However it happened," Yugi dropped a kiss to Seto's now bare collarbone, a pleased grin lighting up his face at the faint pink tinge that appeared on his lover's cheeks. (He'd tossed the shirt in the hamper to be dealt with in the morning. The kohl smudges and tear stained shoulder were kind of a turn-off.) "This is the greatest gift you could have _ever_ given us."

"We will have to get you something of equal value for your birthday," Atem said, laying an arm across his partner's lower back, wine red eyes suffused with mirth.

"Good luck with that." He highly doubted they could give him something better than _telepathy_ of all things.

"Challenge accepted!" Yugi chirped, wiggling his hips rather unnecessarily.

Seto rolled his eyes and set his phone on charge. Sex was kind of the last thing on his mind right now, but it was quickly climbing his list of priorities.

"You know," Yugi continued, smile fading to be replaced by a more thoughtful expression, "I never thought I'd get to date both my boss _and_ my longtime boyfriend."

Atem hummed in quiet acknowledgement. "Stranger things have happened, dearest." 

"Even if it was only for a week?" Seto asks out of mild curiosity, tucking a strand of gold behind Yugi's ear. "Before it became 'official', anyway."

Yugi smiles, a cheeky spread of his lips that puts the overhead lighting to shame. "Sometimes, that's all it takes, really." He glances around the room before lowering his voice. "Even if my boss has trouble with expressing his feelings, and my boyfriend has trouble with modern slang."

Seto rolls his eyes and smothers the little whirlwind in a tight embrace while Atem laughs, deep and carefree.

Yugi's silvery giggles fill the intimate space between their bodies, and Seto finds himself wrapped snuggly around his lovers, wishing this happiness could last for a lifetime. 

He could deal with the weird dreams another time. Right now, the loves of his life were gently trying to coax him into arousal, and who was _he_ to deny their siren's call?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have more plans for flareshipping fics in the future, so worry not. You can find me on tumblr [here](http://doughnutdarling.tumblr.com/) and on twitter @donutdarling!! I'm on semi-hiatus until further notice, but I still check things from time to time.
> 
> Notes explaining the metaphors in greater detail to come soonish! Or you can just ask me directly.
> 
> Shokran lak, mery-i = Thank you, beloved. (male, singular)  
> Aishiteru = I love you
> 
> Also, how in the world did ya'll let me get away with using flare/flared/flaring in almost every chapter without calling me out on it?? Not sure if I should feel accomplished or not lmao.
> 
> I have other works from other fandoms if you wanna check those out, too! I'll be reviving a couple I had to put on hiatus pretty soon as well. 
> 
> See you guys in the next fic! <3


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